Midwest
Don Lemon defiant after pleading not guilty in Minnesota church case, vows he will ‘not be intimidated’
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Former CNN host Don Lemon remains defiant after he pleaded not guilty to charges related to the viral protest takeover of a Minnesota church last month.
“This isn’t just about me. This is about all journalists, especially here in the United States,” Lemon said outside the courthouse Friday.
“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. “The events before my arrest and what’s happened since show that people are finally realizing what this administration is all about. The process is the punishment with them.”
“And like all of you here in Minnesota, the great people of Minnesota, I will not be intimidated. I will not back down. I will fight these baseless charges and I will not be silenced,” he added.
DON LEMON FORMALLY ARRAIGNED, PLEADS NOT GUILTY ON CHARGES STEMMING FROM VIRAL MINNESOTA CHURCH STORMING
Journalist Don Lemon (C) leaves with his legal team after an arraignment hearing at the Warren E. Burger Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse on Feb.13, 2026, in St. Paul, Minnesota. Lemon has pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiring to violate someone’s constitutional rights and violating the FACE Act. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Lemon, who last month livestreamed anti-ICE agitators storming St. Paul’s Cities Church under the suspicion that its pastor had collaborated with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), was charged with conspiracy to deprive religious freedom rights and a violation of the FACE Act. Prosecutors did not seek to detain Lemon.
Lemon was arraigned alongside far-left agitators including William Kelly and Nekima Levy Armstrong, who have been accused of helping organize the church takeover. All five people arraigned on Friday pleaded not guilty.
DON LEMON’S LENGTHY HISTORY OF ANTI-ICE RHETORIC
Don Lemon has seen a spike in social media subscribers, appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and been feted at the Grammy Awards since his arrest. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Lemon has insisted he was working as a journalist and was not part of the group that harassed churchgoers. He is represented by Abbe Lowell, who previously represented Hunter Biden, and Joe Thompson, who was the lead prosecutor who helped uncover the massive $250 million Feeding Our Future food fraud case tied to the state’s Somali community. Thompson resigned from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in January.
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While documenting the hostile invasion of the church, Lemon called it a “clandestine mission.”
“You have to be willing to go into places and disrupt and make people uncomfortable. That’s what this country is about,” Lemon said.
Don Lemon went viral for livestreaming the anti-ICE protest at St. Paul’s Cities Church last month. (Don Lemon/YouTube)
Agitators disrupted the religious service and “intimidated, harassed, oppressed, and terrorized the parishioners, including young children, and caused the service to be cut short,” according to a federal affidavit.
Churchgoers told law enforcement that members of their parish attempted to retrieve their children from a childcare area located downstairs, but the agitators were blocking the stairs, and the parents were unable to get to their children. One churchgoer later expressed fear that the agitators may have guns underneath their jackets and noted that aisles were blocked, making it difficult to leave.
The FACE Act makes it a federal crime, with potentially steep fines and jail time, to use or threaten to use force to “injure, intimidate, or interfere” with a person seeking reproductive health services, or with a person lawfully trying to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship. It also prohibits intentional property damage to a facility providing reproductive health services or a place of religious worship.
Lemon, who was fired by CNN in 2023 and then went the independent route, has seen his profile grow since the arrest, including an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and a surge in his subscribers.
Fox News’ Brian Flood contributed to this report.
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Cleveland, OH
Community rallies for victims of Lakewood double murder-suicide
LAKEWOOD, Ohio — It was Sunday morning when Lakewood police discovered a man and woman shot dead inside a home. The shooter then turned the gun on himself.
On Monday, we learned the victims were 33-year-old Amanda Wakut and 35-year-old Richard “Ricky” Eastin. Police say the shooter was 45-year-old Stephen Davis. On Wednesday, friends and family spoke with us about the life Eastin lived.
We interviewed Ricky Eastin’s younger brother, Ian Eastin, over Zoom because he’s currently on his honeymoon in Thailand. You could easily see the resemblance between him and his big brother.
“He was one of the kindest people I know. He would be willing to give his own shirt right off his back,” Eastin continued. “We just got married last week, so I just saw him.”
Eastin said he last talked to his brother on Saturday.
“He was sending us some pictures of- that he took at our wedding, and just asking how our honeymoon was going,” said Eastin.
Then, at 2 a.m., Eastin learned he would never hear from his brother again.
“I just didn’t believe it. I still feel like how is this even possible,” said Eastin.
Police say Ricky Eastin and Amanda Wakut were found shot and killed inside a home on Chesterland Avenue around 4:30 a.m. Sunday.
3 dead in Lakewood double murder-suicide
3 dead in Lakewood double murder-suicide
“You’d see stuff on the news, people get shot or people get killed, you don’t believe it, like it just is unreal,” said Ian Eastin.
When officers arrived at the scene, police said the shooter, Davis, believed to be Wakut’s boyfriend, drove off in a truck. He was later stopped on Warren Road, where he took his own life.
“Ricky was there supporting her because I guess Amanda was going to break up or end stuff with that guy, and I guess he didn’t take the news well, and just started shooting,” said Eastin.
Ricky Eastin’s boyfriend shared photos with us, including one Eastin sent earlier that Saturday. We also spoke to Eastin’s friend Gwendolyn McCrary Williams.
“That really hurt and I’m angry, he didn’t deserve it, they didn’t deserve that,” said Williams.
The two worked on home improvement projects together and had been making plans just last week.
“Everybody just loved Ricky, soon as you cross his path, it was just something about him that just made you want to just always be connected,” said Williams.
That love has shown in a GoFundMe, which has already raised more than $15,000 to cover funeral expenses and support his mother, whom Eastin was caring for.
“It’s crazy how many people, how many lives he’s touched in that just short period of time that he’s lived,” said Ian Eastin.
While Ricky Eastin may be gone, his friends and family say the love and impact he left behind will never fade.
“This wonderful vibrant full of life young guy, loves everybody, he’s gone and I’m going to miss Ricky,” said Williams.
For more information on the GoFundMe for Ricky, click here.
Earlier
On Monday we spoke to Wakut’s friend and business partner, Megann Galehouse, about her. She described Wakut as a mother, athlete and someone filled with joy and laughter.
Galehouse told News 5 she had just talked to her in the days before she was killed, saying what happened seemed surreal.
“She said, ‘Happy Birthday, I love you so much,’ and I said, Thank you, I love you too,’” Galehouse said.
As police search for answers to what happened, Galehouse mourns Wakut and Eastin and is raising money for funeral costs. She’s also raising money to support Wakut’s 7-year-old son, who was with his grandmother when the shooting happened. While it still doesn’t feel real, she hopes people remember Amanda for her light and her spirit.
“She was always joking. I don’t think I will ever forget her laugh. Her laugh was really, really good,” Galehouse said.
For more information on the GoFundMe for Wakut, click here.
Nadeen Abusada is a Cuyahoga County and immigration reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on Instagram NadeenAbusada or email her at Nadeen.Abusada@wews.com.
Illinois
Man buys winning $1.3 million jackpot ticket at suburban gas station
OSWEGO, Ill. (WLS) — A Chicago-area man claimed a $1.3 million jackpot prize during an ordinary stop at a local gas station.
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The newly-minted millionaire said he bought the ticket while stopping to buy a drink.
“‘Why not?’” the winner said. “I played a Quick Pick, and it turned out to be a lucky day.”
His ticket matched all five numbers in the Thursday, June 11 evening Lucky Day Lotto drawing. The winning numbers were 1-13-19-27-35.
The ticket was purchased at Oswego BP, located at 2791 US Highway 34.
Overjoyed, he wasted no time sharing the big news with his wife.
“She was thrilled,” he said. “It’s funny-I actually won a $45,000 prize playing this same game 15 years ago when it was called Little Lotto.”
The winner plans to use the prize money to buy a new house and secure his and his wife’s retirement.
For selling the, the Oswego BP will receive a bonus of $13,000.
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Indiana
‘Foul play’ suspected in death investigation on Indiana-Ohio state line, Wayne County officials say
WAYNE COUNTY, Ind. (WISH) — Police are investigating the death of a person who died in the emergency department of Reid Health in Richmond.
Wayne County Coroner Brent Meadows was notified of the death Wednesday evening, according to a media release. Evidence has reportedly indicated that foul play is involved.
Officials believe the incident may have occurred in the area of the Petro Travel Center in New Paris, Ohio, just across the Indiana-Ohio state line.
The coroner’s office said the deceased person has been transported to the Miami Valley Regional Crime Laboratory in Dayton, Ohio, for a forensic autopsy and identification.
The office is still working the locate and identify the victim’s family.
This remains an active investigation.
News 8’s Michaela Springer contributed to this report.
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