Court documents reveal raided newsroom did not commit crime, according KS DOR

The Marion County Record, raided by police nearly one year ago, reports new court documents confirm the newspaper did not commit a crime.

On Wednesday, Eric Meyer told KSHB 41 I-Team's Jessica McMaster he obtained documents through discovery that reveal Kansas Bureau of Investigation learned early in its investigation the newspaper did not commit a crime.

MORE | KSHB 41 News coverage of Marion raid

Gideon Cody, former Marion Chief of Police, accused Phyllis Zorn, Record reporter, of committing identity theft after Zorn obtained a local woman's driving record from a state website.

The website is part of Kansas Department of Revenue. Shortly after the raids, KDOR told the KSHB 41 I-Team the website Zorn used was free and legal to use.

Now it's known KDOR told a KBI agent the same thing.

According to the documents, shortly after the raids, Todd Leeds, special agent with KBI sent an email to Ted Smith, General Counsel for Kansas DOR, aksing a "very straight forward question."

“Is it a violation of the law for someone to access another’s Kansas driver’s license information via the State KDOR public website. (yes or no)," Leeds asked.

Smith, responded "no," which was underlined with emphasis, according to the records.

Smith further tells Leeds via email, Phyllis Zorn “identifying herself as such, accessed our free service and requested non-personal information."

KBI took over the investigation into the newspaper immediately following the raids.

KBI sought out of state help from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, though, according to sources involved in the raids, CBI's involvement appeared to be centered around any wrongdoing by law enforcement.

KBI and CBI turned findings over to two special prosecutors who are currently reviewing the case.

Five lawsuits have been filed against Cody and various city and county officials.

One of the lawsuits, filed by former Record reporter Deb Gruver, reached a settlement earlier this month with the city of Marion agreeing to pay $235,000 in exchange for Gideon Cody's name being removed from the lawsuit.