Don Lemon seeks dismissal of criminal charges, claims vindictive prosecution

Former CNN anchor Don Lemon requested a federal judge in Minnesota to dismiss criminal civil rights charges against him on Friday, claiming he is the victim of vindictive prosecution. His attorneys argued that President Trump has long harbored animosity toward Lemon, stretching back over a decade. Lemon and several other journalists were charged alongside protesters for allegedly violating the FACE Act, which prohibits intimidation or interference with individuals exercising their religious freedom.

They were also charged with a felony for conspiring to interfere with religious rights. Lemon's legal team cited statements from senior Justice Department officials and former Attorney General Pam Bondi, as well as Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, that targeted Lemon in the lead-up to his indictment. The attorneys also filed a separate motion to dismiss the indictment on First Amendment grounds, arguing that journalists have a right to report on newsworthy events, and that Lemon's presence at the protests did not equate to complicity in the alleged crimes.

The legal team pointed out that journalists have a long history of covering events where crimes occur without liability. The indictment against Lemon was initially rejected due to lack of probable cause, but the Justice Department proceeded by seeking intervention from the chief judge and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, before ultimately obtaining an indictment through a grand jury.

The government's handling of Lemon's surrender request, where agents were deputized at his Los Angeles hotel while he covered a music industry awards show, was seen as an attempt to punish and humiliate him. The White House mocked Lemon's arrest on social media, further fueling Lemon's claim of vindictive prosecution.