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Former CNN Anchor Prepares Legal Defense Against Potential Jail Time for Disputed Church Demonstration.
Former CNN host Don Lemon is getting ready to go head-to-head with federal authorities in a contested match that will be fought in the courts and could potentially result in jail time of up to 1 year if convicted. This sports-like situation is centered on allegations that he may have violated an important federal statute known as the FACE Act, which protects a person's right to practice their religion without harassment and comes with a significant penalty (similar to an athlete who is accused of using performance-enhancing drugs receiving a suspension/dedication period of their team or league).
He was formally charged by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Los Angeles, CA regarding his participation in a protest outside of an ICE-custody church last month in Minnesota, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a final determination of the charges against him related to that same incident.
The incident itself involved interruption of a Christian church service, being conducted by a pastor employed by ICE. In the video evidence of the incident, you will see Lemon and other protesters chanting "ICE out", which has now drawn serious penalty flags (similar to NFL's "unnecessary roughness calls") from federal prosecutors. Three other people (independent journalist - Georgia Fort; individual who served as Pastor during service and his congregation members) were also charged as co-defendants in Lemon's case through an incident that occurred outside of the church, also involving coordinated actions.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the incident was a "coordinated attack" on our country's legal system and would be treated as an abuse of power, and any action taken by prosecutors will have legal ramifications. Lemon's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, is claiming that Lemon's arrest was an "unprecedented attack" on the First Amendment and he was there as a reporter and taking photographs and not as a participant. Penalties for face act violations are severe and a first violation could lead to more than a year in federal prison that would end any chance of Lemon having a career as a journalist.
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