Don Lemon, Nekima Levy Armstrong and others plead not guilty in church protest case
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Former CNN host turned independent journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty in federal court in Minnesota on Friday along with four other defendants who were indicted for their alleged roles in disrupting a service at church where a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement official was a pastor.
Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong was the lead defendant in the case. Levy Armstrong was the subject of a photo posted on an official White House social media account that was altered to falsely show her crying when she was arrested. The picture is part of a deluge of AI-altered imagery circulating since the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers in Minneapolis amid the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
Attorneys for Lemon and Levy Armstrong told the judge Friday that investigators have yet to return their clients’ cell phones.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Keenan told the judge that the search of Lemon’s phone isn’t complete and he said he didn’t know how long it would take. Kennan said that the government would likely return Levy Armstrong’s phone next week.
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After her arraignment, Levy Armstrong told reporters that she’ll continue to protest what she says is hypocrisy at Cities Church.
“Going into church on Sundays as preaching, and then Monday through Saturday you are condoning brutality, terrorism, abuse, violence against women, and even murder. That is not acceptable. That is unconscionable.”
Levy Armstrong says the Justice Department was quick to prosecute her, but appears to be making no moves toward charging the federal agents who killed Good and Pretti.
In a statement, Lemon said he will not be intimidated and will “fight these baseless charges.”
Two more defendants, including independent journalist Georgia Fort, are to be arraigned next week. Nine defendants in all are charged in the case.
This story is part of our live coverage. Go to live updates.
