Overview
- A joint court filing on Aug. 11, 2026 shows the City of Marion agreed to pay $850,000 to former reporter Phyllis Zorn and dismissed her federal lawsuit.
- The payment follows the Aug. 11, 2023 searches that seized computers, phones and reporting materials from the Marion County Record and homes linked to the paper.
- Marion County previously agreed to a roughly $3 million settlement that included about $600,000 to Zorn, bringing her total recoveries related to the raids to about $1.45 million.
- Two special prosecutors have filed a felony obstruction charge against former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody alleging he persuaded a witness to withhold information; Cody pleaded not guilty and his trial has been postponed.
- The raids and settlements have left lasting personal harm for reporters, kept other civil claims active, and raised broader questions about how local authorities may lawfully investigate suspected crimes involving journalists.