A man was arrested in Arkansas this week for harassing CNN and threatening network anchor Don Lemon.
Benjamin Matthews, 39, made more than 40 calls to CNN headquarters in Atlanta from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. Baxter County law enforcement took action based off a tip from the Atlanta Police Department, which was investigating the calls.
Multiple media outlets reported that Mr. Matthews specifically directed several threats at Mr. Lemon, who hosts “CNN Tonight” on weekdays. A local CBS affiliate wrote that he wanted to be directed to Mr. Lemon’s “dead body hanging off a tree.”
An individual with “personal knowledge” of Mr. Matthews listened to the recordings obtained by law enforcement and identified the voice, police said in a statement.
Police said Mr. Matthews also called other networks, politicians and organizations, but did not specify which ones in their statement.
Mr. Matthews is currently being held with a $15,000 bond and charged with five counts of first-degree terroristic threatening, four counts of second-degree threatening, and nine counts of harassing communications.
