The chief of a Kansas police department that recently raided a local newspaper alleged that a reporter lied or misrepresented herself when accessing documents, according to court documents.
The Marion County Record raid, which drew national attention, was led by Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody on Aug. 11. Cody claimed that a reporter lied about her intentions or impersonated someone else when she was gathering the driving records of local businessowner Kari Newell.
Newell previously argued that the paper violated her privacy and committed a crime by gathering the information about her, but the newspaper has maintained their methods were legal.
Reporter Phyllis Zorn had accessed a public website when gathering information about restaurant operator Kari Newell. Zorn had used Newell’s name in the search, and police believed it was identity theft to do so. A source had also given the paper Newell’s date of birth and license number unsolicited.