Don Lemon calls Minnesota church protest charges “vindictive prosecution” in appeal

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon petitioned a federal judge on Friday to throw out felony charges he received for entering a Minnesota church alongside activists demonstrating against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The Department of Justice indicted Lemon alongside more than two dozen protesters who disrupted a Sunday service at Cities Church in January. Footage appeared to show protesters blocking aisles, chanting, and confronting congregants, while Lemon approached church leaders at the front for comments.

What argument does Lemon make for the dismissal? Lemon alleged that the Trump administration specifically targeted him with the charges, characterizing the conspiracy and civil rights violations charges as vindictive prosecution. President Donald Trump persistently targeted Lemon and showed a pattern of animosity against the journalist, according to the Friday filing.

The appeal cited what it characterized as a yearslong pattern of Trump criticizing Lemon, with the most recent instance cited being last month's White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. The DOJ carried out Trump’s bias against Lemon and charged the independent journalist for doing his job, the appeal continued. The government made a grave constitutional violation by arresting a journalist in the middle of the night for covering an issue of public concern, according to the filing.