Equipment seized in Kansas newspaper raid being returned to Marion County Record

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Eight days after equipment was seized from Marion County Record, the items are on the way to Kansas to be returned to the newspaper.

Bernie Rhodes, the newspaper’s attorney, told senior KSHB 41 I-Team reporter Jessica McMaster, computers and cellphones left the forensics facility in Liberty, Missouri, to be returned to the newspaper by Sunday.

Rhodes said it’s still too early to tell if the items, seized by Marion County Police and Marion County Sheriff’s Department were accessed.

Rhodes said there are some computers the forensics expert still needs to duplicate before the expert begins looking at the images.

On Wednesday, Joel Ensey, Marion County attorney released the equipment back to the paper citing insufficient evidence connecting an alleged crime to the places searched.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation is the lead agency on the case.

A KBI spokesperson told the I-Team earlier this week it was looking into “previous steps” taken in the case.

Eric Meyer, owner of the paper, had his home along with his offices searched.

His mother and co-publisher Joan Meyer, 98, lived with him and was there during the raid.

She died the next day.

Funeral services for Meyer were held Saturday morning.

Ruth Herbel, vice mayor of Marion County, also had her home searched. Her equipment is also being reviewed by the forensics expert.