Marion County, Kansas, has agreed to pay over $3 million and issue an apology following a 2023 law enforcement raid on the Marion County Record, a small-town newspaper, that sparked a national debate over press freedom.

The raid, carried out by Marion County sheriff’s officers and Marion city police, targeted the newspaper’s offices, the publisher Eric Meyer’s home, and a city council member’s home, seizing computers and cellphones.

The warrants were linked to a dispute with a local restaurant owner and prior reporting on the police chief, prompting accusations that the raid was intended to harass the press.

The incident led to five federal lawsuits and contributed to the death of Meyer’s 98-year-old mother, which he attributed to the stress caused by the raid, CBS News has reported.

While the settlement with the county is finalized, claims against the city and city officials remain unresolved and could result in additional judgments.