[zugi]

This will be an interesting case. Lemon has been adamant that far from "conspiring", he hadn't even known the target of the operation until he showed up that morning "to cover it." So I was sure the government had no case whatsoever.

These quotes make it clear that, despite Lemon's statement being true, he then carefully hid the news until the protestors wanted it revealed. That alone probably wouldn't stick either, as requiring journalists to immediately reveal such information from sources would stifle free press.

Claims that he blocked parishioners from leaving will be hard to prove too in a crowded chaotic scene.

Misdemeanor trespassing for not leaving the building when so directed might stick, but that's a local charge, not federal.

Ultimately now independent journalist Lemon wins regardless of the verdict, due to the added publicity of the charges.

[IAmBroom]

Interesting only in the sense that it will be a test of whether the court system has any respect left for the Constitution, and by extension, rule of law.

As you have pointed out, there simply isn't a reasonable argument that his arrest wasn't an outright violation of 1A, with a fairly obvious intention to intimidate the free press.