Police raid on Kansas newspaper

Earlier this month, following an accusation made by a local restaurant owner, the Marion County Record faced allegations of unauthorized access to information about her. Subsequently, the Marion police chief obtained search warrants to examine the newspaper's premises, the home of its publisher, and a City Council member's residence. The police chief, who spearheaded the raids on August 11, justified the warrants using affidavits asserting probable cause. These documents claimed that both the newspaper and the City Council member potentially violated state statutes related to identity theft and computer-related offenses.

The City Council member and the newspaper have both asserted that they received the document detailing the restaurant owner's license status without actively requesting it. The document included details such as the restaurant owner's license number and birthdate – information necessary to verify the license status online and access a more comprehensive driving record. While the police chief contends that their actions contravened state laws, the newspaper and the attorneys representing those involved argue otherwise.