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Journalist Don Lemon was arrested in a single day, his lawyer and a number of sources with direct data informed CBS Information on Friday. The arrest comes practically two weeks after Lemon was at an anti-immigration protest that disrupted a service at a church in Minnesota.
A supply acquainted with the matter stated a grand jury was empaneled Thursday. The FBI and Homeland Safety Investigations, a regulation enforcement company throughout the Division of Homeland Safety, had been concerned within the arrest, sources say.
Abbe Lowell, Lemon’s lawyer, confirmed he was taken into custody by federal brokers final night time in Los Angeles, the place he was protecting this weekend’s Grammy Awards.
“Don has been a journalist for 30 years, and his constitutionally protected work in Minneapolis was no totally different than what he has at all times executed,” Lowell stated in an announcement. “The First Modification exists to guard journalists whose position it’s to shine mild on the reality and maintain these in energy accountable. There isn’t any extra essential time for individuals like Don to be doing this work.”
Lowell stated the Justice Division has targeted on arresting Lemon as a substitute of investigating the federal brokers who killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota earlier this month, calling it “the true indictment of wrongdoing on this case.”
“This unprecedented assault on the First Modification and clear try to distract consideration from the numerous crises dealing with this administration won’t stand. Don will battle these costs vigorously and totally in courtroom,” he stated.
Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi stated in a assertion shared to social media that federal brokers arrested Lemon and three others “in reference to the coordinated assault on Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota.”
A supply briefed on the investigation stated Lemon faces costs of conspiracy to deprive others of their civil rights and violation of the FACE Act by allegedly interfering by pressure with the train of others’ First Modification rights.
Final week, a federal appellate courtroom declined to order a decrease courtroom decide to signal arrest warrants for 5 individuals, together with Lemon, in reference to a Jan. 18 anti-ICE protest inside a church in St. Paul, Minnesota. Nevertheless, one of many three appellate courtroom judges stated he felt there was possible trigger to justify the arrests, in line with courtroom filings and sources acquainted with the matter.
A number of individuals have been charged in reference to the protest, when demonstrators entered St. Paul’s Cities Church after discovering that one among its pastors is an ICE official.
The Justice Division had requested the appellate courtroom to compel the U.S. District Court docket in Minnesota to signal the arrest warrants over civil rights costs alleging the defendants had been unlawfully interfering with the churchgoers’ constitutional-protected freedom to observe faith.
Lemon labored at CNN for greater than 15 years, however was fired in 2023. He introduced in early 2024 that he can be launching The Don Lemon Present on X, however the social media web site owned by billionaire Elon Musk ended the partnership months later, shortly after Lemon interviewed Musk. Lemon now hosts a present on YouTube.
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