# DOJ Drops the Hammer on DON LEMON Over Church Attack! Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYEvUTocKZU Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/gYEvUTocKZU Generated: 2026-02-02T14:33:50.099+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The Department of Justice (DOJ) is prosecuting individuals, including Don Lemon, under federal statutes like 18 U.S.C. § 241 (Conspiracy Against Rights) and 18 U.S.C. § 248 (Face Act) for their alleged involvement in coordinating a disruptive takeover-style attack during a religious service at The Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, 2026, which resulted in bodily injury to a congregant. **Key Points:** - The DOJ indictment charges multiple defendants, including Don Renaldo Lemon, with Conspiracy Against Right of Religious Freedom (18 U.S.C. § 241) and violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act (Face Act, 18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2)(b) and § 248(a)(2)(a)). - The alleged conduct involved a coordinated takeover-style attack on The Cities Church service on January 18, 2026, engaging in acts of oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction. - The indictment alleges that one overt act furthering the conspiracy was posting a flyer advertising an anti-ICE action called 'Operation Pullup' on Instagram accounts controlled by a defendant. - The conspiracy charge (18 U.S.C. § 241) requires an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime and at least one overt act; the Face Act violation (18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2)(a)) involves interfering with religious exercise by force or threat of force. - The conduct resulted in bodily injury to one congregant, whose arm was broken while fleeing, suggesting the acts went beyond nonviolent physical obstruction. - Penalties for the first offense under the Face Act are a fine or imprisonment not more than one year, but bodily injury resulting from the acts can increase the imprisonment length up to 10 years or life if death results. ![Screenshot at 00:04: The screen displays a satirical social media post implying Don Lemon's mugshot has been released, which Branca uses to introduce the seriousness of the charges against Lemon.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/gYEvUTocKZU/00-00-04.jpg) **Context:** The video features attorney Andrew Branca analyzing a federal criminal indictment, specifically focusing on the charges brought against Don Lemon and others related to an alleged disruption at The Cities Church in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 18, 2026. Branca details the elements of the conspiracy charge (18 U.S.C. § 241) and the specific statute under which the physical interference charge (18 U.S.C. § 248) is brought, noting that the latter is usually associated with abortion clinics. ## Detailed Analysis Andrew Branca analyzes the federal indictment against Don Lemon and co-defendants concerning an incident at The Cities Church. He first breaks down the general federal law on conspiracy (18 U.S.C. § 2), noting that all members are principals, even those who only aided or abetted the crime, like providing an escape car. He emphasizes that conspiracy requires an agreement to commit a crime and an overt act in furtherance, which does not need to be unlawful itself. He then shifts to the specific charges: Count One, Conspiracy Against Right of Religious Freedom (18 U.S.C. § 241), and Count Two, violation of the Face Act (18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2)(b) and § 248(a)(2)(a)). The indictment alleges the defendants conspired to injure, oppress, threaten, or intimidate the church's pastor, staff, and congregants while they were lawfully exercising their First Amendment right to religious worship. Overt acts included organizing 'Operation Pullup' via Instagram and physically entering the church to conduct a takeover-style attack involving oppression, intimidation, threats, interference, and physical obstruction, which resulted in bodily injury (a broken arm) to a congregant. Branca points out that applying the Face Act, typically used against anti-abortion protestors, in this context is significant. The penalties under the Face Act are substantial, potentially up to 10 years or life if death results, even for nonviolent physical obstruction, though the indictment alleges bodily injury occurred. ### Conspiracy Elements (18 U.S.C. § 241) - Requires an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime and at least one overt act in furtherance; all members are principals, even those only aiding/abetting. ### Indictment Allegations (Count Two, 18 U.S.C. § 248(a)(2)(a)) - Defendants injured, intimidated, interfered with, and attempted to injure, intimidate, and interfere with church members exercising their First Amendment right to religious freedom at a place of worship. ### Overt Acts in Furtherance - Defendants organized 'Operation Pullup' via Instagram, briefed each other, and entered the church to conduct a takeover-style attack involving oppression and threats. ### Face Act Violation (18 U.S.C. § 248) - The law prohibits physical obstruction or interference with access to reproductive health services or religious worship; bodily injury resulted to one congregant. ### Penalties for Face Act Violations - First offense fine/imprisonment up to 1 year; subsequent offenses up to 3 years; if bodily injury results, up to 10 years; if death results, life imprisonment. ![Screenshot at 00:04: The screen displays a satirical social media post implying Don Lemon's mugshot has been released, which Branca uses to introduce the seriousness of the charges against Lemon.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/gYEvUTocKZU/00-00-04.jpg) ![Screenshot at 00:45: The screen displays the text of 18 U.S. Code § 2 - Principals, which Branca cites to establish that all co-conspirators are liable as principals for the underlying crime.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/gYEvUTocKZU/00-00-45.jpg) ![Screenshot at 07:08: The indictment document is displayed, showing the defendants' names, including Don Renaldo Lemon, and the specific statutes charged \(18 U.S.C. § 241 and § 248\(a\)\(2\)\(b\), § 2\(a\)\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/gYEvUTocKZU/00-07-08.jpg) ![Screenshot at 12:28: The screen displays 18 U.S. Code § 248 - Freedom of access to clinic entrances, which Branca reviews to explain the basis for the second count.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/gYEvUTocKZU/00-12-28.jpg) ![Screenshot at 17:09: The document highlights the portion of the indictment detailing that the conduct resulted in bodily injury to one of the congregants.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/gYEvUTocKZU/00-17-09.jpg)