The Paper-Thin Indictment of Don Lemmon Shows When Justice Becomes a Grudge
Apparently, the Justice Department is too busy to bother with actual criminals. At a time when the Bureau of Prisons is touting "economic approaches" to retrain officers and slash budgets, the DOJ is back to its old tricks: trying to pack the BOP with people who don't belong there. Using the criminal justice system to settle personal scores.
The latest target? Long-time journalist and former CNN host Don Lemon. Arrested in LA, Lemon now faces a federal indictment that stinks of desperation and bullshit. Just last week, a judge refused to allow federal charges against him. Yet, here we are. Prosecutors haven’t unsealed the indictment yet, but we’ve seen this movie before. It’s a textbook example of a bloated, overreaching government that has lost touch with reality and the actual confines of the law.
The DOJ has tried and failed twice to secure arrest warrants for Lemon and several other journalists in Minnesota stemming from the incident at a local Church. The Chief Judge of the Minnesota Federal District Court was blunt: there was "no evidence" of criminal behavior. Zero. None.
This administration loves to tout a President’s right to say whatever the hell he wants, while simultaneously trampling the First Amendment. That amendment exists to protect the people who bear witness to history as it unfolds. Violating those rights isn't just a legal error—it’s absolute bullshit.
Sadly, I’m not surprised.
Prosecutorial overreach is a consistent cancer in our legal system that society refuses to acknowledge. We want to blame Judge’s for over sentencing, not realizing the Prosecutor often places the Judge in that predicament with its outlandish and often bullshit charges. Once a government official puts a target on your back, the facts stop mattering. Your innocence is irrelevant. The mission shifts from "seeking justice" to executing a personal vendetta. Sometimes, this is warranted depending on the accused acts of the Defendant. However, far too often, the facts don’t warrant this treatment.
Let’s be honest, usually we’re dealing with prosecutors who have plateaued. These are people who realized years ago they’ll never get further than they are right now. They walk into the office miserable every day, and they take it out on the docket. I actually used to be a Prosecutor and the common perception is, don’t stay more than three years. After that, you’re jaded! Period! This comes from the fact that you can realistically no longer enter the private sector to make real money. You’ll forever be a government bulldog, dictated by low salary and an often over large docket. A seasoned defense lawyer smells that bitterness from a mile away. Usually, the only cure is a mix of patience, strategic ass-kissing, and waiting for the Prosecutor to focus their attention on the new shiny crime taking place in the city or jurisdiction.
Sometimes, that works. Other times? There’s nothing you can do. Your client pays the price and swallows an improper punishment just because a prosecutor has a complex they can’t satisfy at home.
Make that shit make sense.
