Resolution Criteria

A Minnesota federal magistrate judge refused to sign a complaint charging Don Lemon in connection with a protest inside a church in St. Paul on January 19, 2026. This market resolves YES if Don Lemon is formally charged with any criminal offense by February 28, 2026. Charges must be filed in a court of law (federal or state). The market resolves NO if no criminal charges are filed by the deadline.

Background

The Justice Department suggested Don Lemon could be charged after he was seen in video of a protest inside a church in St. Paul. Harmeet Dhillon, the assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, has publicly hinted that Lemon could potentially face charges for his role in disrupting the service. The Justice Department could find other avenues to charge Lemon, and the DOJ could attempt again to bring new charges, or appeal the magistrate's decision to the chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota.

Considerations

The federal magistrate in Minnesota who refused to sign off on an arrest warrant for Don Lemon is Douglas L. Micko and his wife works as an Assistant Attorney General in Minnesota AG Keith Ellison's office, which may be relevant to potential appeals or alternative charging strategies by the DOJ.