Full Breakdown
Don Lemon Seeks Grand Jury Transcripts in Minnesota Civil Rights Case
5/28/2026, 6:49:51 AM
Grand Jury Transcript Request
Attorneys for former CNN anchor Don Lemon submitted a supplemental notice to the U.S. District Court in Minneapolis, seeking release of the sealed grand-jury transcripts that led to indictments of Lemon and journalist Georgia Fort. The March filing argues that recent court findings of DOJ grand-jury misconduct undermine the presumption of proper conduct.
Protest, Charges, and Parties
The dispute began with a Jan. 18 protest outside St. Paul’s Cities Church, where an ICE official serves as pastor. Lemon says he was there only to document the event. He pleaded not-guilty to federal civil-rights charges and is one of 39 defendants. Parties include Lemon, journalist Georgia Fort, Justice Department, and judges, including Minnesota’s chief judge and a magistrate judge.
DOJ Misconduct Cases
Lemon’s motion cites three rulings that dismissed indictments for grand-jury irregularities: a May 21 decision overturning charges against four Chicago activists; a May 15 ruling voiding nine felony indictments in Wyoming after an interim U.S. attorney’s comments to jurors; and a May 13 Rhode Island order blocking a federal request for transgender patient records. He cites them as precedent for transcript disclosure.
Official Statements & Findings
Lemon’s counsel argues that the “checkered history,” citing DOJ misconduct, warrants transcript access. They note the government’s failure to establish probable cause for the rejected search warrants, saying this compromises grand jury independence. Federal judges rebuked the DOJ, stating it has lost credibility in enforcing its power fairly and honestly, and refused to sign arrest warrants, leaving the grand jury as the primary avenue.
Criticism of DOJ Practices
The filing frames the DOJ’s handling as part of a broader pattern of overreach, arguing that secret grand-jury proceedings and denied search warrants erode public confidence and risk bypassing evidentiary standards that courts have already rejected.
Verbatim Quotes
- “the past 15 months have seen an unprecedented and growing distrust in the Justice Department’s use of the grand jury process.” — Lemon’s attorneys
- “In that case, the judge rebuked actions by prosecutors, saying the Justice Department can no longer be trusted to enforce its power fairly and honestly.” — Federal judge
- “The magistrate judge held that the government did not establish probable cause to believe that evidence of a crime would be found in what the Justice Department wanted to search.” — Magistrate judge
- “entitled to see whether the government allowed the grand jury to serve its role or whether, as elsewhere, the government interfered with the proper function of the grand jury,” — Lemon’s attorneys
Next Steps
The court has not yet ruled on Lemon’s transcript request. If denied, his team may seek additional discovery or appeal. The Justice Department has not commented, leaving open whether further judicial oversight will address the broader concerns about grand-jury transparency raised by the filing.
