Journalist Don Lemon walked toward the microphones Friday afternoon with his husband, Tim Malone, by his side, the two holding hands as Lemon prepared to address reporters outside a federal courthouse in Los Angeles.
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Speaking around 3:30 p.m. Pacific, Lemon thanked supporters and described his arrest as a defining moment for press freedom. A federal judge released him without bail.
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“I have spent my entire career covering the news,” Lemon said. “I will not stop now. There is no more important time than right now, this very moment, for a free and independent media that shines a light on the truth and holds those in power accountable.”
Lemon said he was still trying to understand the case against him, noting that he had not yet seen the government’s filings. He described his arrest late Thursday night as extraordinary, saying federal agents took him into custody for conduct he characterized as routine journalism.
“Last night, the DOJ sent a team of federal agents to arrest me in the middle of the night for something that I’ve been doing for the last 30 years, and that is covering the news,” Lemon said.
Standing beside Malone, Lemon widened the focus beyond his own case, warning that the prosecution carries implications for journalists nationwide. The Constitution, he said, is meant to protect reporters whose work involves documenting events as they unfold, even when that reporting challenges those in power.
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A federal grand jury in Minnesota indicted Lemon on felony charges alleging that his reporting during a January 18 protest inside a St. Paul church crossed into criminal interference with religious worship, a characterization his attorneys strongly dispute. The indictment accuses Lemon of knowingly participating in a coordinated disruption rather than merely documenting events, claims that have alarmed press freedom advocates and Democratic leaders.
“The First Amendment of the Constitution protects that work, for me and for countless other journalists who do what I do,” Lemon said. “I stand with all of them, and I will not be silenced.”
Lemon closed by signaling both resolve and confidence in the legal process. “I look forward to my day in court,” he said, thanking supporters once more before stepping away.
