Documentary, discussion provide opportunity to learn more about Marion newspaper raid

If you have been one of the many people locally and beyond to be shocked by the August newspaper raid at the Marion County Record and the home of its owners and are interested in learning more, you have something of a double opportunity this week.

The Kansas Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists and the Elliott School of Communication at Wichita State University are presenting The Wichita Eagle documentary “Unwarranted: The Senseless Death of Journalist Joan Meyer” on Thursday along with a panel discussion that includes Meyer’s son, Record publisher Eric Meyer.

Also on the panel are Eagle visuals editor Jaime Green, Eagle photographer and videographer Travis Heying and Kansas Press Association executive director Emily Bradbury.

The 38-minute documentary focuses on Joan Meyer, the 98-year-old journalist who died a day after the raid on the paper and her home, which followed an investigation the Record conducted for a story that Eric Meyer decided not to run.

Joan Meyer, who lived through World War II, compared the police action to what Hitler and his Gestapo would do.

The documentary is built around bodycam footage from the raid, and the spitfire Joan Meyer — who was known in the community for her friendliness, not feistiness — is undeniably the star. However, she’s also the lens through which the larger story is told.

The free event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the CAC Theater on the southwest side of the Rhatigan Student Center at WSU.