A former police chief in Kansas has been formally charged with one count of interfering with the judicial process following actions he took after a raid on a small newspaper last year. The criminal complaint, filed in Marion County District Court, accuses the ex-police chief of inducing a witness to withhold information in a felony case.
The incident in question occurred when the former police chief ordered a raid on the Marion County Record, the home of its publisher, and the home of a local city councilwoman on August 11, 2023. The raid sparked criticism from numerous news organizations and press freedom advocates due to its intrusiveness and concerns regarding First Amendment rights.
