WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors have failed to obtain a felony indictment against a man who was seen on camera hurling a sandwich at a federal law enforcement official in the nation’s capital, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.
Sean Charles Dunn was arrested on an assault charge after he threw a sub-style sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent. A video of the incident went viral, and shortly after he was fired from the Justice Department, where he worked as an international affairs specialist in the department’s criminal division.
The case is one of the examples of the legal pushback to President Donald Trump’s law enforcement surge in Washington that has led to more than 1,000 arrests. It is highly unusual for grand jurors to refuse to return an indictment, and it was once said that prosecutors could persuade a grand jury to “indict a ham sandwich.”
Mild doxx, I’ve served on a DC Grand Jury before. You’re commuting to the courthouse for 3 weeks minimum, though only 3 days a week. Most of the people are not getting compensated from their job to be there, just some money for the Metro.
The standard of evidence to indict is much lower, basically “it’s believable that the accused could be guilty of the charges”. Caught on camera is quite believable, the key here is “the charges”. If the charges don’t fit the crime, a jury that’s paying attention wouldn’t indict . I’m 80% sure indictment is a majority vote, didn’t have to be unanimous.
Generally the prosecution is presenting evidence and calling law enforcement officers to testify, the defendant sending a lawyer is optional (expensive). You get a mostly one-sided argument, but these are all people who live in DC; some well off but most kinda poor. It’s DC so both categories do not like Trump. If they believe somebody is committing crimes in DC they’ll happily indict; but most cases indict, it feels good to cancel the case when someone doesn’t deserve it.
This dude, himself, worked at the Justice Department. I’m sure he was able to get some very good representation.
i have heard serving on a grand jury is painful, because its such a long lenght of time, thats why people try to avoid it all cost.