The person who slung a sandwich at a federal agent in Washington, D.C., and was unwittingly remodeled into an opposition image of President Trump’s native crime crackdown has been discovered not responsible of misdemeanor assault after a trial.
A jury handed down the not responsible verdict Thursday in opposition to Sean Dunn, a former Division of Justice (DOJ) worker who hurled a hoagie after confronting a bunch of officers patrolling a preferred nightlife space of the nation’s capital.
The acquittal marks an embarrassing loss for federal prosecutors, who pursued the misdemeanor cost after a grand jury refused to return an indictment on the felony assault depend they initially sought.
U.S. District Choose Carl Nichols, the Trump appointed choose overseeing the case, mentioned he anticipated the trial to final not more than two days and referred to as it “the simplest case in the world.”
However the trial dragged on three days, and the jury deliberated for a part of each Wednesday and Thursday earlier than Dunn was in the end acquitted.
“I’m relieved, and I’m looking forward to moving on with my life,” Dunn mentioned after the decision was introduced, in response to the Related Press.
It was by no means in query that, on Aug. 10, Dunn tossed the sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Safety (CBP) agent in an act of protest.
“Why are you here?” Dunn allegedly yelled at a number of brokers. “I don’t want you in my city!”
However prosecutors tried to influence the jury that his conduct ought to be handled as a criminal offense, whereas Dunn’s attorneys accused the authorities of blowing the incident out of proportion.
CBP agent Gregory Lairmore, who was the federal government’s first witness, advised jurors that the sandwich “exploded” on his chest, saying he may really feel it strike by way of his ballistic vest.
“You could smell the onions and the mustard,” Lairmore mentioned.
Protection legal professional Julia Gatto advised the jury that it amounted to a “harmless gesture” as he completed exercising his proper to converse out.
“He did it. He threw the sandwich,” she mentioned. “And now the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia has turned that moment — a thrown sandwich — into a criminal case, a federal criminal case, charging a federal offense.”
When the incident went viral, it sparked swift backlash from federal officers.
U.S. Legal professional for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro — whose workplace prosecuted the case — urged Dunn to “stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else,” whereas Legal professional Common Pam Bondi fired Dunn from the Justice Division and referred to as him an instance of the “deep state” her DOJ opposes.
Although he provided to give up voluntarily, legislation enforcement raided his residence and posted the video on-line with a movie-like soundtrack, his lawyer wrote in courtroom papers.
The protection mentioned he was the topic of a selective and vindictive prosecution and sought to dismiss the costs earlier than trial. Nichols, the choose, deferred ruling.
“The federal government has chosen to bring a criminal case over conduct so minor it would be comical — were it not for the unmistakable retaliatory motive behind it and the resulting risk to Mr. Dunn,” the protection movement learn.
The Justice Division referred a request for remark to the U.S. Legal professional’s workplace for D.C., which didn’t instantly reply. The Hill requested remark from Dunn’s attorneys, as nicely.
On Washington’s streets, Dunn has grow to be one thing of a folks hero.
Banksy-style artwork depicting the sandwich toss, protest indicators with sandwich imagery and merchandise from T-shirts to stickers on the net market Etsy have lionized the second on the coronary heart of Dunn’s prison case.
President Trump’s D.C. takeover started in August when he declared a criminal offense emergency, deploying the Nationwide Guard and extra federal brokers into town’s streets.
Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth prolonged the Nationwide Guard troops’ deployment by way of February final week.
The Related Press contributed.
Up to date 3:01 p.m. EST
