Former chief faces court date
Staff writer
Former Marion police chief Gideon Cody, who led a now-disavowed raid Aug. 11, 2023, on the Marion County Record and the homes of its owners and city council member Ruth Herbel, is scheduled to appear in Marion County District Court at 1:30 p.m. Monday.
Cody was charged Aug. 12 — a year and a day after the raid — with interference with judicial process. The charge is for allegedly inducing former Marion restaurant owner Kari Newell to delete text messages sent between them. The texts were exchanged between Aug. 11 and Aug. 17, 2023.
The charge against Cody was filed by Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson after he and Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett reviewed results of a months-long investigation into the circumstances of the raid by Colorado Bureau of Investigation agents.
Wilkerson, contacted Monday, said he and Bennett would prosecute the case together.
Monday’s hearing will not be a trial. It is the first of many appearances in court before any trial is conducted.
Further court appearances could include a preliminary hearing; an arraignment, during which Cody would plead not guilty, no contest, or guilty; pretrial conferences; and trial.
It is possible Cody could work out a plea deal with the prosecutors or that the charge could be dismissed.
The charge is a low-level felony and sentencing guidelines suggest probation if he is convicted.