eric meyer said this all started when he got into a confrontation with a local restaurant owner.staurant owner. that story was never published until later when the restaurant owner, according to eric meyer, said publically that the newspaper had done something improper when they received information about that local restaurant owner. basically this all centers on a specific document that the restaurant owner believes had private information that was improperly obtained by the newspaper. here's what eric meyer, the publisher of that paper, had to say about the search warrant and specifically about how law enforcement approached the document at the center of all of this. >> the document that supposedly was stolen by us that actually was supplied by a source, was sitting on my desk, 6 feet from my computer, and they didn't take it in the -- in the raid. they left it sitting there. there's a lot of very strange things. they search a reporter's computer had r who had been sick all that week and hadn't been involved in it. they also took her cell phone, she wasn't in the office at that

eric meyer is the publisher and editor of the marion county record and he joins us now. terribly sorry about your mother's passing in this whole ordeal and i wonder how are you holding up, how are your colleagues holding up? >> i'll be honest with you, the shock of the raid and the attention it has received hasn't left me any time to reflect on my mother's death. it has pushed it off a little bit. the details of this case are complicated. she went to the police, the police got the warrant, and they executed the warrant. did anyone at the newspaper illegally obtain this information? we informed the police police records, we notified the police friday before the raids. a week later, they did not ask any question. they didn't talk to us or say a word to us. >> more than 30 news and press freedom organizations have condemned to this raid, arguing there years to be no justification for the breadth and intrusiveness of this search. you have suggested that the extremity of this action was partially because of your other reporting about local officials. can you explain? >> as wi

eric meyer's home and his 98-year-old mother joan was also raided. the stress, shock and grief contributed to his mother's death on saturday. eric meyer believes it was retribution after a story he wrote. kari newell says she did so because she didn't trust the paper's reporting. he claims after he and his reporter zorn were tipped out, zorn got a tip about carry newell alleging driving without a license and a dui in 2008. alarming freedom of the press advocates including emily bra bradbury. >> it's hard to believe this isn't retaliatory for something. >> reporter: newell says the paper was -- the marion police department withheld from the kansas bureau of investigation executed the search warrant alleging violations of identity theft of newell and unlawful acts concerning computers. the warrant was signed by a county judge. such raids are normally a very rare occurrence in the u.s. given free press protections spelled out in the bill of rights. , requiring a subpoena. >> the proper protocol would have been to use subpoena power to get any informatio

amy: why did eric meyer called the police to say he is not doing this story but he had this information> he told me he was concerned the newspaper was being set up, so he thought the police should have that information. that then became the basis for the search warrant was executed against them on friday, alleging a crime of identity theft and the improper use of a computer. amy: can you explain what happened to the reporter? the police chief himself ripped the phone out of her hand, injuring her finger? >> that's right. that is what the publisher meyer told me. they were taking computers and other documents. utility bills, hard drives, the server they had for even advertisements, legal notices, that sort of thing. the police were taking phones away from the -- personal funds away from reporters in the newsroom. the police chief ripped the phone out of a woman's hand and apparently injured her fingers in some way. amy: can you explain the second-story the paper was investigating about the police chief himself, sherman smith? >> when i talked to eric on friday, he told me when the city h

it follows closely with what we've heard from eric meyer, that this, at least eric meyer believed, andre was an incident august 1st at a local coffee shop, a local restaurant you're asked meyer and the reporter to leave. a meet and greet with a local representative later on, meyer and his reporter received this information about the local restaurant owner. that's what kicked off this entire investigation. we now know that the county attorney has pulled back those search warrants and returned the devices, so many more questions to ask. the records, newly unsealed today which are getting fresh insight into how this all happened. >> a fascinating case. thank you for the reporting. >>> we are following some breaking news from the fulton county courthouse having to do with the indictment of former president trump and several other alleged co-conspirators. we have kaitlyn polantz there following all this. you have news involving mark meadows. what can you tell us? >> reporter: there is tension building and that's because mark meadows and the district attorney's office appear to be in a bit o

. >> reporter: the publisher of a small local newspaper, eric meyer said his elderly mother died becauselace. national attention on a small kansas town after police raided a local newspaper, seizing computers and phones. the raise captured here on surveillance obtained by nbc news has made headlines nationwide. stirring a debate over freedom of the press. >> we're letting this gestapo like tactics, this is what they do in the third world. >> reporter: eric meyer said his 98-year-old mother joan, the other co-owner, collapsed and died one day after the raid. >> she became so upset, that sthe wouldn't eat that day and sleep that night. >> reporter: a tip they received about a local business owner, carrie newell, they did not publish the story. newell has accused the paper of invading her privacy after she threw meyer and a reporter out of a event. >> this is intimidation tactic. >> writing in a statement, the judicial system that is being questioned will be vindicatedm while myers defends his paper, when someone comes into your house an takes your computer and all of the computers out of y

. >> eric meyer co-owns the paper with his 98 year old mother, whose home of 70 years, he says was also raided friday. he tells abc news she died on saturday, one day after the raid, saying she was too stressed to sleep or eat. >> she met eight hours a week working for us, putting together a column of memories. how dare they take the last day of her life and make her filled with with with fear and anger? >> at issue, meyer says, is a tip. one of his reporters received about a local business owner accused of driving illegally. they decided not to publish the story. >> we notified the police that they told us this. they never responded. the person who was the target of this then falsely accused the us of illegally obtaining the information. >> that prompted a search warrant. though federal laws protect journalists from search and seizures and instead require a subpoena. but the chief of the marion police department says in a statement there are exceptions like, quote, when there is reason to believe the journalist is taking part in the underlying wrongdoing, the paper denies any wrongdoin

stephanie gosk has late details >> reporter: missing cell phones and hard drives, publisher eric meyer says he barely got the weekly edition of "the marion county record" printed in the morning. >> there was a not so minor miracle that happened last night. we were here until after 5:00 a.m. >> reporter: then late today, the county attorney for this small kansas town said there was insufficient evidence to justify last week's police raid of the paper and withdrew the search warrant. all of the items seized now being returned the kansas bureau of investigations says it will keep investigating. >> do you think that this search violated your constitutional rights >> yes, absolutely it was designed to create a chilling effect on our publication. >> reporter: national news organizations, including nbc news, called the raid, a violation of the first amendment. >> the response was like that of -- to the medellin drug cartel with this massive raid that occupied all the police in the whole eastern half of the county. >> reporter: the search warrant accused reporters at the paper of identity thef

the paper's owner, eric meyer, says officers also searches his house, where his 98-year-old mother lived. she died the next day, he says, from the stress. >> it's intimidation. i think that the whole point of this was intimidation. >> reporter: police say they suspected the paper of identity theft and unlawful acts. meyer says the paper obtained information that a local restaurant owner had a dui and was driving without a license for 14 years. that owner says the information was obtained illegally while meyer says it was provided by a source and confirmed by public records. the paper was also investigating allegations the new police chief, gideon cody, had left his previous job with the kansas city police to avoid a demotion for alleged sexual misconduct. meyer ultimately decided not to publish either story. >> everyone has to be protected against unlawful search and seizure. you have to justify that there's no other way to get something other than to intrude in somebody's house, to seize their property. >> reporter: federal law protects journalists, requiring police to subpoena any mate

the owner of the marin county record, eric meyers, says law enforcement also raided his home. he believes the raid was motivated by a confidential source leaking documents about a local restaurant owner. he says she complained to city council members the newspaper illegally obtained sensitive information. the search warrant alleges identity theft and unlawful use of a computer. >> i got called from one local person who said, "i saw this thing on facebook. you ought to see it." i said can you send it to me? i'm not sure. they may seize my computer. that's the kind of chilling effect you worry about in this. >> meyers' 98-year-old mother who co-owned the paper died on saturday and meyer blames the death on stress from that police raid. >>> still ahead, criminals using romance scams to take advantage of their victims, we hear from a reformed scam artist for an inside look at how they work and how to weed out fake suitors. >>> coming off an electric win sunday, the giants added a wildcard to their roster on monday who has exploded through the minors. we'll tell you who in sports.

eric meyer co-owns the paper with his 98 year old mother, whose home of 70 years. >> he says, was alsoded friday. he tells abc news she died on saturday, one day after the raid, saying she was too stressed to sleep or eat. >> she met eight hours a week working for us, putting together a column of memories. how dare they take the last day of her life and make her filled with with with with fear and anger? >> at issue, meyer says, is a tip one of his reporters received about a local business owner accused of driving illegally. they decided not to publish the story. >> we notified the police that they told us this. they never responded. the person who was the target of this then falsely accused the us of illegally obtaining the information that prompted a search warrant. >> though federal laws protect journalists from search and seizures and instead require a subpoena. but the chief of the marion police department says in a statement that there are exceptions, like, quote, when there is reason to believe the journalist is taking part in the underlying wrongdoing, the paper denies any wron

but eric meyer, who co-owns the paper, said they never published the article, and that they were falsely accused of illegally obtaining information. meyer says his 98-year-old mother and co-owner, whose home was also raided friday, died on saturday, one day after the raid, saying she was too stressed to sleep or eat. >> how dare they take the last day of her life and make her filled with fear and anger. >> reporter: but today, a local prosecutor reviewing the case, saying there was insufficient evidence to support that search warrant, and that all of the devices and materials seized must be returned. and david, the kansas bureau of investigation is now reviewing the actions of those authorities who carried out that raid. david? >> david: all right, alex perez reporting tonight. alex, thank you. >>> when we come back here, breaking news tonight involving a widely used abortion medication. will it remain available in this country? >>> and news tonight on bruce springsteen, after canceling concerts just hours before performing. she's been looking for. sotyktu is the first-of-its-kind, once-

the paper's owner, eric meyer, says officers also searched his house, where his 98-year-old mother lived, from the stress. >> it's intimidation. i think the whole point of this was intimidation. >> reporter: police say they suspected the paper of identity theft and unlawful acts. meyer says the paper obtained information that a local restaurant owner had a dui and was driving without a license for 14 years. that owner says the information was obtained illegally while meyer said it was provided by a source and confirmed by public records. the paper was also investigating allegations the new police chief, gideon cody, had left his previous job with the kansas city police to avoid a demotion for alleged sexual misconduct. meyer ultimately decided not to publish either story. >> everyone has to be protected against unlawful search and seizure. you have to justify that there is no other way to get something other than to intrude into somebody's house, to seize their property. >> reporter: federal law protects journalists, requiring police to subpoena any materials in most criminal investigati

. >> reporter: eric meyer co-owns the paper with his 98-year-old mother whose home was also raided friday. he tells abc news she died on saturday, one day after the raid, saying she was too stressed to sleep or eat. >> she had eight hours a week working for us, putting together a column of memories. how dare they take the last day of her life and make her filled with fear and anger. >> reporter: at issue, meyer says, is a tip one of his reporters received about a local business owner accused of driving illegally. they decided not to publish the story. >> we notified the police they told us this. they never responded. the person who was the target of this then falsely accused us of illegally obtaining the information. >> reporter: that prompted a search warrant, though federal laws protect journalists from search and seizure and instead require a subpoena, but the chief of the marion police department says in a statement, there are exceptions like, quote, when there's reason to believe the journalist is taking part in the underlying wrongdoing. the paper denies any wrongdoing and says it w

friday's raid, captured by surveillance cameras eric meyer, the publisher and owner of the "marion county record" says his paper was unfairly targeted. >> police chief saw an opportunity to let's really stick it to this newspaper, which has not been entirely supportive of him. >> reporter: the search also included meyer's home he believes the stress of it contributed to the death of his 98-year-old mother, joan, who co-owns the paper. >> she became so upset about this that she wouldn't eat that day, she wouldn't sleep that night >> reporter: meyer says it all stems from allegations made by a local restaurant owner, who told the city council the paper illegally obtained her driving record, which included a dui >> last week we received a tip from a source about some driving violations of a business person in town we checked out those tips >> reporter: according to the search warrant, the newspaper is accused of identity theft and computer crimes meyer denies the allegations and says the paper decided not to run the story >> how unusual is a police raid like the one that we see here in mario

eric meyer is the co-owner of the publication.office last week. he also added that police also seized computers, cell phones and other materials that are part of the investigation. meyer suggesting that it was partly triggered by a story he published last week mentioning carey newell, the owner of a local coffee shop there. they allege they received a confident tip about newell driving without a license. they reached out to a local law enforcement that the newspaper had received this sensitive information about newell. per that report police then notified her. what followed of the issuing was a search warrant, alleging violations of identity theft and authorized the seizure of any documents pertaining to newell. she is telling cnn she was flabbergasted when she learned about the raid and denied not even knowing this was in the works. meyer from his point claiming law enforcement did not explain any explanation about the reason for the search, they simply handed over a copy of the search warrant. we understand during the search, me

in fact, a letter from the judge to eric meyer actually says no probable cause affidavit was filed with. more than 30 news organizations have sent a very sharply worded letter to the chief of that local police department saying there appears to be no justification for the breadth and intrusiveness, especially when other steps may have been available. >> very important story. thank you very much. coming up, donald trump is facing potential racketeering charges in the georgia election interference case. we'll explain what this charge is and what it might mean for the former president and his associates. (jack) we're standing up for our right to be lazy. (jan) by sitting down. (ronald) and reclining back (lyn) we work full-time and parent full-time. (lyn's husband) we will be reclined until furtr notice. ndi) it's our right to let the dishes soak overnight. (rob) and to mow the lawn... tomorrow-ish. (ben) we proudly declare that yes, we are still watching that. (ariel) and no, we won't be cooking tonight. (damon) we, the lazy, are taking back lazy... (doreen) ...by getting comfy on our la-

this all started earlier this month when the publisher tells cnn, eric meyer, that he and his reporter a coffee shop owned by a woman named kari. she asked meyer and his reporter to leave the premise because she says that paper has a history of twisting comments. she says after she asked them to leave, that open meet and greet, something that was available to the public, the newspaper published a story about her she says through illegal means. they obtained information about her, that should only have been available to law enforcement, insurance agents and other people with certain credentials, not available to the public. she says they producedhat story purely out of malice and retribution. the publisher says they did nothing wrong. they got information from sources, they confirmed this story using publicly available means as we do at cnn all the time and as other newspapers and local television stations are doing every day probably at this very moment. this is bringing a very sharp rebuke from numerous news organizations including cnn. the concern here is that this raid on this newsp

here is what the publisher, eric meyer, told jake tapper about all of this. >> are you taking any legal >> still up in the air. i think it's quite possible, because there needs to be a clear line that this is not allowed. there's a lot of very strange things. they searched a reporter's computer who had been sick that week and hadn't been involved. they also took her cell phone. she wasn't in the office at that time. so a lot of strange things that hint of possible intimidation and attempted bullying. >> reporter: here is what the local prosecutor has to say about all of this. the affidavits which i am asking the court to release established probable cause to believe that an employee of the newspaper may have committed unlawful acts concerning computers. upon further review, i have come to the conclusion that insufficient evidence suggests to establish a nexus between this alleged crime and the places searched and the items seized. the attorney for the newspaper told me they have not been told they are not subject to the investigation, but moving forward the expectation is law enforcemen

eric meyer says his 98-year-old mother, joanne, who was a co-owner of the paper, collapsed and died ond been, quote, stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief. eric joins us now. good morning, eric. we are all deeply -- >> good morning. >> sorry for the loss of your mother. >> thank you, appreciate that. >> of course. we reached out to the police about all of this, because they did this and they were handling the investigation prior, and we didn't hear back, but i want to read people a statement from the police chief on sunday. i believe when the rest of the story is available to the public, the judicial system will be vindicated. have you gotten any more answers from police about why they did this? >> we finally were able to obtain the probable cause affidavit that was to support the search warrant. it was filed three days after the searches were conducted, which is a little suspicious. but it, interestingly, refutes most of the claims against us. one of the allegations was that we obtained this document and gave it to the vice mayor. in the document itsel

year old co-owner of the paper died after the raid on the home she shared with her son publisher eric meyeral police the raid may have been illegal but publisher meyer now says he will sue. placing the whole point of this was intimidation. everyone has to be protected against unlawful search and seizure. you have to justify no other way to get something than to intrude in some of h house. to seize their property. exit bureau of investigation is looking at the underlying case tangled. it involves accusation by local restaurant owner the record in improperly obtained to restore her driver's license. the did not do anything with the document law enforcement officials have withdrawn the subpoena and return the equipment to the record hitting the paper a victory. i think an apology would be in order. seize but not silence the death death tollhas topped 100. this was not his finest hour. ask any on the rising death toll in maui? >> no comment. president is visiting the hawaiian island tomorrow. in fairness has to wait there all the security people will impede a rescue efforts. biden seems to come

. >> i'm honored to welcome eric meyer, co-owner publisher and editor of the marion county record. the part-time sports editor desk. why? because it is the only computer left in the building. eric, this is such an extraordinary upsetting on so many levels story. the search warrant has now been withdrawn. have you gotten any insight into how the raid was proved how this even happened? >> it's very interesting, because the probable cause affidavit, which normally preseason search warrant, was actually filed three days after the search. it contains, there was also a search done at vice mayor's house, and the probable cause affidavit for that clearly states that the vice mayor got the document which we were accused of supplying, her got a document from the source that we had, and that all we did was verified that the documents existed. we don't know why they searched her house. we don't know why they searched my mother's house. we don't know why they searched our office. the evidence that we had of the document that we obtained from our source was sitting on my desk. they didn't sees i

. >> eric meyer says his 98-year-old mother, the co-owner, collapsed and died a day after the raid. > didn't sleep. >> reporter: she says a tip one of the reporters -- newell accused the paper of invading her privacy after she through meyer and a report ir out of a political event. >> reporter: the police chief defending a raid writing, the judicial system that is being questioned will be vindicated. while meyer defended his paper. >> when somebody comes i represented your house, takes your computer, your mother's computer, you begin thinking a little paranoid. >> that paper owner says he's going to be taking legal action. there are questions about whether or not there is a federal law when it comes to the first amendment and specific protection for the media. like i say, it will come down in many ways to that probable cause affidavit for the search. >> there is much more to this story. stay stunned. stephanie gosk, thank you. >>> next on "ana cabrera reports," video catching two pilots ejecting at an airshow moments before their planes crassed. >>> dozens of people, hundreds of thous

. >> eric meyer, the paper's co-owner and publisher says his 98-year-old mother joan, the paper's othert she wouldn't eat that day. she wouldn't sleep that night. >> reporter: at issue, myers says is a tip one of his reporters received about a local business owner, carrie newell, accused of driving without a license. they did not publish the story. after she threw meyer and a reporter out of a political event. >> this is an intimidation tactic. >> reporter: the marion police chief defending the raid, saying the judicial system that has been questioned will be vindicated, while myers defends his paper. >> when someone comes in your house and takes your computer and your mother's computer you begin thinking a little paranoia. >> reporter: stephanie gosk, nbc news. >>> we have lot to cover in our second hour of "chris jansing reports," let's get right to it. ♪♪ >>> at this hour, the death toll in hawaii at 96, as rescue teams have barely begun. only 3% of the search area has been covered, damaged now estimated at nearly $6 billion. a terrifying house explosion outside of pittsburgh. at lea

as the newspaper publisher eric meyer puts it, the police response was bringing the swat team out for you on the show. let me start by playing a clip of meyer talking to reporters on wednesday after that search warrant had been lifted. watch. >> we cannot let bullies when. we cannot let bullies when. and eventually, a bully will cross the line to the point that it becomes so egregious that other people come around and support it. i cannot think enough the support that we've got from journalism organizations and news organizations, people in general, all over this blasted planets just realized this isn't american democracy to do something like this. t >> first, how is this stuff ad mr. myre doing today? i mean, i know they had to work painstakingly long hours this week in order to get the paper out on wednesday without their equipment. and unfortunately, the tragedy of mr. meyer's mom passing on saturday the day after the raid. >> they're doing all right. today was a tough day. today was the day that joe and mayer was laid to rest. but that doesn't mean that the story needs to be later

as the newspaper publisher eric meyer puts it, the police response was like working the swat team outve, attorney representing the marion county record. mr. rhodes, where to have you on the show. mr. barr play a clip of mayer talking to reporters on wednesday after that search warrant had been lifted. watch. >> we cannot let police when. cannot lead police. when and eventually, italy will cross the line to the point it becomes so egregious when other people come around and support. i cannot thank enough the support we got from journalism, news okanagan mission,'s people in general. all of this blasted planet who just realized this isn't american democracy to do something like this. >> first, how is the staff and mr. myre doing today? i know they had to work painstakingly long hours this week in order to get the paper out on wednesday with our equipment, and unfortunately the tragedy of mr. myers's mother passing on south today, the day after the raid. >> they're doing all right. but that was a tough day. today was the day that joanne mayer was laid to rest. but that doesn't mean that

the video from august 11th shows officers executing a search warranty at eric meyer's house. meyers lived with his mother joan meyer who served as co-publisher of the newspaper. police accused the paper of committing identity theft in order to access public records. >> don't you touch any of that stuff >> ma'am -- >> this is my house. >> i know. you're wasting your breath. >> ma'am -- >> you [ bleep ]. >> the day after the raid 98-year-old joan meyer died. her son blames her death on stress caused by the police incursion. >>> lots to get to including that hard landing caught on camera. check this out. take a look. you can see sparks flying from an alaska airlines flight as it touched down at an airport in southern california. nbc's tom costello covers aviation for us. tom, good morning to you. do we know what happened here? >> reporter: yeah, craig. good morning to you. this happened during the tropical storm. this flight came in and hit the ground very hard, dragging its left wing down the runway as it went. thankfully no injuries. separately the faa ordering airports nation

according to the paper, meyer had been, quote, stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by the hours of shock and grief after the illegal police raids here is what her son, ericeek. >> one nice thing is that the outpouring of public support and support from news organization and journalistic organizations afterwards almost vindicate her. i think she would feel good about that. >> this search warrant that was used to raid the home and the paper's office has been withdrawn and the items seized have been returned to the kansas burrow of investigation is looking at the entire incident. >> that video is stunning especially in the context of what happened after, they returned all and she died. >> and the warrant sthchlt striking. >>> a shop owner in california killed for displaying a rainbow pride flag. you will hear from her daughter and one of her friends next. ♪ it takes two to make it outta sight ♪ ♪ one, two, get loooose now ♪ ♪ it takes two to make a... ♪ stay two nights and geget a $ 50 best western gift c car. book now at bestwestern.com. i'm currently out of the office... focusing on little blue-sky thinking. i'll be taking meetings... with family and frie