Minnesota judge demands grand jury records in Don Lemon indictment case

A federal judge in Minnesota, Laura Provinzino, has issued an order demanding the Justice Department provide extensive grand jury materials related to the indictment of journalist Don Lemon and several co-defendants. The defense team alleges “substantial evidence of grand-jury irregularities,” claiming that prosecutors and case agents may have misled the grand jury to secure the charges.

The investigation focuses on whether a Department of Homeland Security officer provided false testimony regarding the actions of journalists during a protest at a church. The defense contends the officer lied under oath by claiming he witnessed the journalists participating in the protest, a claim the defendants dispute using video evidence and interviews.

Judge Provinzino’s order requires the Department of Justice to produce presentations made by prosecutors, communications with grand jurors, legal instructions, witness testimony, and closing arguments. This move reflects a broader trend of increasing judicial scrutiny toward the Department of Justice’s conduct during grand jury proceedings, with judges in other states such as Wyoming, Illinois, and Virginia also raising concerns about prosecutorial ethics and transparency.