Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong and St. Paul school board member Chauntyll Allen were among the defendants to plead not guilty. MINNEAPOLIS — Former CNN host turned independent journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges Friday, following a protest at a Minnesota church where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement official is a pastor. "For more than 30 years, I've been a journalist, and the power and protection of the First Amendment has been the underpinning of my work," Lemon told reporters following his court appearance. The veteran journalist has said he was at the church to chronicle the protest but was not a participant. The church protest drew sharp complaints from conservative religious and political leaders.

Source: CNN February 13, 2026 20:17 UTC