MN - Journalist Don Lemon arrested for church protest, Minneapolis, 18 Jan 2026

[J. J. in Phila]

Rrrright. But no, actually wrong. The grand jury does not determine guilt. The grand jury determines if there is enough of probable cause to press charges.



Please provide a link to this claim of his.

MOO

When he said he was "doing journalism."

MOO.

 

[Hexe]

When he said he was "doing journalism."

MOO.

Ah, si that's just your creative interpretation of Lemon's statement. Get it.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Ah, si that's just your creative interpretation of Lemon's statement. Get it.

No, because he can say that he is "doing protests" and that would not give him any claim of immunity.

MOO.

 

[Ontario Mom]

that video is certainly going to be an exhibit in the US case against the defendants. Pretty damning stuff.

I couldn't possibly agree more with Pastor Parnell. Utterly shameful conduct by every single one of them.
I sincerely hope everyone charged, and anyone that may still yet be charged, is found guilty and goes directly to jail.
This cannot be tolerated in a civilized society. Not in a Christian church, a Mosque, Synagogue or any other protected place of worship.

jmo

 

[sds71]

Facing charges over his presence at a church protest challenging the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, Mr. Lemon has hired as one of his defense lawyers a veteran criminal litigator who, until just weeks ago, was helping lead the prosecutor’s office that has charged Mr. Lemon with felonies.

Joseph H. Thompson, a former senior federal prosecutor who resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota in mid-January over the Justice Department’s handling of the immigration operation, has joined Mr. Lemon’s defense team, according to a court filing.

Mr. Thompson’s appointment is the latest plot twist in a high-profile case that has been anomalous from the start. By representing the most prominent of nine defendants charged in the church protest case, Mr. Thompson will face off against a department that employed him for nearly 17 years. Mr. Thompson will work alongside Mr. Lemon’s lead defense lawyer, Abbe Lowell.

Don Lemon Hires Federal Prosecutor Joseph H. Thompson in Minneapolis Church Protest Case

Facing charges over his role at a church protest, Mr. Lemon, a journalist, retained a veteran litigator who recently resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota.

www.nytimes.com

Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow

Joseph H. Thompson, a career federal prosecutor who was the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota last year, was among those who resigned as the Justice Department sought to examine the woman’s supposed ties to activist groups.

www.nytimes.com

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Facing charges over his presence at a church protest challenging the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, Mr. Lemon has hired as one of his defense lawyers a veteran criminal litigator who, until just weeks ago, was helping lead the prosecutor’s office that has charged Mr. Lemon with felonies.

Joseph H. Thompson, a former senior federal prosecutor who resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota in mid-January over the Justice Department’s handling of the immigration operation, has joined Mr. Lemon’s defense team, according to a court filing.

Mr. Thompson’s appointment is the latest plot twist in a high-profile case that has been anomalous from the start. By representing the most prominent of nine defendants charged in the church protest case, Mr. Thompson will face off against a department that employed him for nearly 17 years. Mr. Thompson will work alongside Mr. Lemon’s lead defense lawyer, Abbe Lowell.

Don Lemon Hires Federal Prosecutor Joseph H. Thompson in Minneapolis Church Protest Case

Facing charges over his role at a church protest, Mr. Lemon, a journalist, retained a veteran litigator who recently resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota.

www.nytimes.com

Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow

Joseph H. Thompson, a career federal prosecutor who was the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota last year, was among those who resigned as the Justice Department sought to examine the woman’s supposed ties to activist groups.

www.nytimes.com

That could be a conflict of interest, if he was still in the office when the incident occurred.

MOO

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

that video is certainly going to be an exhibit in the US case against the defendants. Pretty damning stuff.

I couldn't possibly agree more with Pastor Parnell. Utterly shameful conduct by every single one of them.
I sincerely hope everyone charged, and anyone that may still yet be charged, is found guilty and goes directly to jail.
This cannot be tolerated in a civilized society. Not in a Christian church, a Mosque, Synagogue or any other protected place of worship.

Well shameful conduct that most of us don't approve of isn't necessarily illegal. I haven't watched every minute but I still haven't seen where any of them use force or physical obstruction. They were certainly loud at times, and so certainly could be considered "intimidating" at times, and maybe that's enough to qualify as violating the FACE Act. We shall see. in any case, they might still be subject to a civil claim.

FACE Act except: "by force or threat of force or by physical obstruction, intentionally injures, intimidates or interferes with or attempts to injure, intimidate or interfere with any person"

 

[SouthAussie]

That could be a conflict of interest, if he was still in the office when the incident occurred.

MOO

He wasn't. He resigned on January 13th after the killing of Renee Good.
The church protest happened on January 18th.

Don Lemon Hires Federal Prosecutor Joseph H. Thompson in Minneapolis Church Protest Case

Facing charges over his role at a church protest, Mr. Lemon, a journalist, retained a veteran litigator who recently resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota.

www.nytimes.com

 

[J. J. in Phila]

He wasn't. He resigned on January 13th after the killing of Renee Good.
The church protest happened on January 18th.

View attachment 643534

Don Lemon Hires Federal Prosecutor Joseph H. Thompson in Minneapolis Church Protest Case

Facing charges over his role at a church protest, Mr. Lemon, a journalist, retained a veteran litigator who recently resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota.

www.nytimes.com

When did the Lemon incident occur and when was his resignation effective?

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

Facing charges over his presence at a church protest challenging the immigration crackdown in Minnesota, Mr. Lemon has hired as one of his defense lawyers a veteran criminal litigator who, until just weeks ago, was helping lead the prosecutor’s office that has charged Mr. Lemon with felonies.

Joseph H. Thompson, a former senior federal prosecutor who resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota in mid-January over the Justice Department’s handling of the immigration operation, has joined Mr. Lemon’s defense team, according to a court filing.

Mr. Thompson’s appointment is the latest plot twist in a high-profile case that has been anomalous from the start. By representing the most prominent of nine defendants charged in the church protest case, Mr. Thompson will face off against a department that employed him for nearly 17 years. Mr. Thompson will work alongside Mr. Lemon’s lead defense lawyer, Abbe Lowell.

Don Lemon Hires Federal Prosecutor Joseph H. Thompson in Minneapolis Church Protest Case

Facing charges over his role at a church protest, Mr. Lemon, a journalist, retained a veteran litigator who recently resigned from the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota.

www.nytimes.com

Six Prosecutors Quit Over Push to Investigate ICE Shooting Victim’s Widow

Joseph H. Thompson, a career federal prosecutor who was the acting U.S. attorney for Minnesota last year, was among those who resigned as the Justice Department sought to examine the woman’s supposed ties to activist groups.

www.nytimes.com

So we can count that as another expert attorney who favors Lemon's position.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

dbm