Appeals Court Refuses DOJ Bid To Force Arrest Warrants In Minnesota Church Protest
Eighth Circuit declines to order arrest warrants for five proposed defendants, including Don Lemon, after a magistrate judge found insufficient evidence.
Overview
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit declined to direct U.S. District Court Judge Patrick Schiltz to sign arrest warrants for five proposed defendants, including former CNN anchor Don Lemon, according to court documents unsealed Saturday.
The ruling follows Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko's Jan. 20 decision that probable cause existed for only three of eight presented warrants and that five lacked sufficient evidence, a matter the Justice Department had sought to immediately overturn.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division told podcaster Megyn Kelly that the department will pursue charges "to the ends of the Earth," and the Justice Department said it may seek grand jury indictments or present additional evidence to the magistrate judge, officials said.
Three activists—Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly—face conspiracy against rights charges in a criminal complaint alleging intimidation and harassment of parishioners, according to court filings, while the appeals panel noted conflicting views among judges about probable cause.
The Justice Department can still seek grand jury indictments or resubmit affidavits, and the appeals court's refusal to force warrants could prompt prosecutors to pursue alternate paths to charges in the coming weeks, officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present this coverage with a mild pro–civil‑liberties tilt: they foreground judges' skeptical findings and a defense attorney’s First Amendment claims while reporting DOJ assertions (national‑security urgency) without detailed evidentiary support. Editorial framing appears via selection, quote placement, and emphasis on judicial critique rather than extensive DOJ justification.
Sources (7)
FAQ
Protesters disrupted a service at Cities Church in St. Paul on January 18, chanting 'ICE out' and 'Justice for Renee Good,' targeting the pastor for his affiliation with ICE's local field office.
The five include former CNN anchor Don Lemon, his producer, and three activists: Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and William Kelly.
Magistrate Judge Douglas Micko found probable cause for only three of eight warrants; the other five, including for Lemon and his producer, lacked sufficient evidence as they were journalists who did not engage in criminal behavior.
Nekima Levy Armstrong faces charges under 18 USC 241 for conspiracy against rights; Chauntyll Louisa Allen and William Kelly face conspiracy to deprive rights charges for intimidating and harassing parishioners.
The DOJ may seek grand jury indictments or present additional evidence to the magistrate judge to pursue charges against the five defendants.
History
- 3 sources
