Joan Meyer, 98-year-old co-owner of the Marion County Record newspaper in Marion, Kansas, died Saturday following police raids on Friday of her home and the newspaper’s offices. The raids contributed to Meyer’s death, according to the outlet.
The newspaper and numerous observers have argued that these raids of the Marion County Record offices and Meyer’s home were illegal. Warrants shown by police alleged that “there was probable cause to believe that identity theft and unlawful computer acts had been committed involving Marion business owner Kari Newell.”
Newell, who owns local restaurant Kari’s Kitchen, had alleged at a Monday city council meeting that the Record illegally obtained drunken driving information about Newell and had supplied it to Marion vice mayor Ruth Herbel.