Kansas Newspaper Deadly Free Speech Crisis Created By Karen?!?

This story has garnered headlines across the nation and the globe. 

In the past 48 hours there have been so many blustery editorials and screed about a so-called abuse of power. 

Rather than add to the glut . . . We merely offer a question . . .

IS THIS THREAT TO THE CONSTITUTION JUST ANOTHER DEBATE OVER THE ANTICS OF KAREN THAT SPREAD ACROSS THE GLOBE & THE KILLED SOME LADY?!?

Tread carefully . . . Somebody wants to speak to your manager as well . . . And unless the small town po-po find out that the newspaper was smuggling drugs or worse . . . (Unlikely)  . . . Their explanation seems unlikely to convince many people now that an old lady was killed in the drama.

Still . . . Here's the word about a "crisis" that was started by just another ALLEGEDLY drunk white lady wanted to escape accountability . . .

 Marion Police Department Chief Gideon Cody was not able to provide details on Friday’s raid, saying it remains an ongoing criminal investigation – but offered a justification.

“I believe when the rest of the story is available to the public, the judicial system that is being questioned will be vindicated,” Chief Cody told CNN in a statement. “I appreciate all the assistance from all the state and local investigators along with the entire judicial process thus far.”

Cody explained in most cases, police are required to use subpoenas rather than search warrants to search the premises of journalists “unless they themselves are suspects in the offense that is the subject of the search.”

Cody added while the Federal Privacy Protection Act protects journalists from most searches of newsrooms by federal and state law enforcement officials, there are certain exceptions in limited circumstances where a subpoena is not needed, including “when there is reason to believe the journalist is taking part in the underlying wrongdoing.”

According to Meyer, law enforcement officials did not provide an explanation of why they were being raided. He said he was given a copy of the search warrant after the search.

Meyer tried to obtain a probable cause affidavit that would support the search warrant, he said, but the judge who issued the search warrant responded in a letter there was no such probable cause warrant in her office.

The more widely publicized part of the story . . .

“We are shocked and outraged by this brazen violation of press freedom,” said a statement by Eileen O’Reilly, president of the National Press Club, and Gil Klein, president of the club’s Journalism Institute.

“A law enforcement raid of a newspaper office is deeply upsetting anywhere in the world,” the statement said. “It is especially concerning in the United States, where we have strong and well-established legal protections guaranteeing the freedom of the press.”

Today's tragic turn . . . 

"Joan Meyer, 98, who co-owned the newspaper with her son Eric, “collapsed Saturday afternoon and died at her home,” after becoming “stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief after illegal raids,” the newspaper reported."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . .

Police raid Kansas newspaper office and owner's home, seize records and computers | CNN

Law enforcement officers in Kansas raided the home and office of a newspaper owner, prompting a sharp rebuke from a press freedom group and raising constitutional questions far beyond the small city in the state.

Police defend raid on Kansas newspaper amid backlash over 'brazen violation of press freedom' - Kansas Reflector

Marion County police on Saturday defended their unprecedented raid on a newspaper office and the publisher's home by pointing to a loophole in federal law that protects journalists from searches and seizures.

Kansas police raid newspaper's office, publisher's home to seize records; reporter injured

Kansas police raided a local newspaper's newsroom and its publisher's home, seizing devices and reporting materials and injuring a reporter's hand.

Kansas Newspaper Slams 'Gestapo Tactics' After Police Raid

"We will be seeking maximum sanctions under the law possible," Marion County Record's publisher said after the entire local police department seized reporting materials.

PEN America: Police Raid on Kansas Newspaper "Almost Certainly" Violates Federal Law

n response to the police raid on The Marion County Record newspaper in Kansas, PEN America issued the following statement: "Journalists rely on confidential sources to report on matters of vital public concern. Law enforcement's sweeping raid on The Marion County Record and confiscation of its equipment almost certainly violates federal law and puts the paper's very ability to publish the news in jeopardy.

End game . . .

Kansas newspaper co-owner, 98, dies after cops raid home, staff

Kansas police seized a newspaper office's computers, cellphones and reporting materials with what appears to be an improper search warrant.

Developing . . .