WASHINGTON — Throwing a sandwich at a federal agent turned Sean Charles Dunn into a logo of resistance towards US President Donald Trump’s law-enforcement surge in the nation’s capital. This week, federal prosecutors are attempting to steer a jury of fellow Washington, DC, residents that Dunn merely broke the legislation.
That might be a tricky promote for the federal government in a metropolis that has chafed towards Trump’s federal takeover getting into its third month. A grand jury refused to indict Dunn on a felony assault depend earlier than US Lawyer Jeanine Pirro’s workplace opted to cost him as a substitute with a misdemeanor.
Securing a trial conviction may show to be equally difficult for Justice Division prosecutors in Washington, the place murals glorifying Dunn’s sandwich toss popped up just about in a single day.
Earlier than jury choice began Monday (Nov 3), the choose presiding over Dunn’s trial appeared to acknowledge how uncommon it’s for a case like this to be heard in federal court docket. US District Decide Carl Nichols, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, mentioned he expects the trial to final not more than two days “as a result of it’s the best case on the earth.”
A video that went viral on social media captured Dunn hurling his subway-style sandwich at a Customs and Border Safety agent outdoors a nightclub on the night time of Aug 10. That very same weekend, Trump introduced his deployment of a whole bunch of Nationwide Guard troops and federal brokers to help with police patrols in Washington.
When Dunn approached a bunch of CBP brokers who have been in entrance of a membership internet hosting a “Latin Night time,” he known as them “fascists” and “racists” and chanted “disgrace” towards them. An observer’s video captured Dunn throwing a sandwich at an agent’s chest.
“Why are you right here? I don’t need you in my metropolis!” Dunn shouted, in line with police.
Dunn ran away however was apprehended. He was launched from custody however rearrested when a crew of armed federal brokers in riot gear raided his dwelling. The White Home posted a extremely produced “propaganda” video of the raid on its official X account, Dunn’s attorneys mentioned. They famous that Dunn had supplied to give up to police earlier than the raid.
“EXAMPLE OF THE DEEP STATE”
Dunn labored as a global affairs specialist within the Justice Division’s prison division. After Dunn’s arrest, Lawyer Common Pam Bondi introduced his firing in a social media put up that referred to him as “an instance of the Deep State.”
Earlier than trial, Dunn’s attorneys urged the choose to dismiss the case for what they allege is a vindictive and selective prosecution. They argued the posts by Bondi and the White Home show Dunn was impermissibly focused for his political speech.
Julia Gatto, one in all Dunn’s attorneys, questioned why Trump’s Justice Division is prosecuting Dunn after the Republican president issued pardons and ordered the dismissal of assault instances stemming from a mob’s assault on the US Capitol on Jan 6, 2021.
“It’s an apparent reply,” Gatto mentioned throughout a listening to final Thursday. “The reply is that they have totally different politics. And that’s selective prosecution.”
Prosecutors countered that Dunn’s political expressions don’t make him immune from prosecution for assaulting the agent.
“The defendant is being prosecuted for the apparent motive that he was recorded throwing a sandwich at a federal officer at point-blank vary,” they wrote.
Dunn is charged with assaulting, resisting, opposing, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with a federal officer. Dozens of Trump supporters who stormed the Capitol have been convicted of felonies for assaulting or interfering with police throughout the Jan 6 assault. Trump pardoned or ordered the dismissal of costs for all of them.
