Man who threw sandwich at federal agent found not guilty of assault

A former US Justice Department paralegal has been found not guilty of assault after throwing a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump's law enforcement surge in Washington DC. Sean Charles Dunn became a symbol of resistance to Mr Trump's deployment of federal agents in America's capital following a viral video showing him tossing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent on August 10. Mr Dunn, 37, shouted "fascists" and "racists" and chanted "shame" toward the group of agents, who were in front of a club hosting a "Latin Night". "Why are you here? I don't want you in my city!" Mr Dunn shouted, according to police. Mr Dunn ran away after hitting the agent with the sandwich but was apprehended. He was rearrested after being released from custody when armed federal agents in riot gear raided his home. The White House posted a highly produced "propaganda" video of the raid on its official X account, Mr Dunn's lawyers said. His misdemeanour acquittal is another setback for prosecutors, who have faced a backlash for their aggressive charging tactics during the law enforcement surge. The Justice Department had initially sought a felony assault indictment against Mr Dunn, but in a highly unusual move, the grand jury declined to sign off on the felony charge. The office of US attorney Jeanine Pirro then charged Mr Dunn with a misdemeanour. There was no dispute over whether Mr Dunn threw the sandwich. But his lawyers argued it was a "harmless gesture" during an act of protest protected by the First Amendment to the US Constitution, which protects free speech.. After the foreperson read the verdict, Mr Dunn hugged his lawyers. Later, he said: "I'm relieved and I'm looking forward to moving on with my life." After Mr Dunn's arrest, Attorney-General Pamela Bondi announced his firing in a social media post that referred to him as "an example of the Deep State". Mr Dunn's lawyers urged the judge to dismiss the case for what they alleged was a vindictive and selective prosecution. They argued that the posts by Ms Bondi and the White House showed Mr Dunn had been targeted for his political speech. Mr Dunn did not testify at his trial, but the jury heard him explain after his arrest why he had confronted the CBP agents. A law enforcement officer's body camera captured him saying: "I did it. I threw a sandwich. I did it to draw them away from where they were. I succeeded." After his acquittal, Mr Dunn said he was trying to protect the rights of immigrants that night. "Let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says, 'e pluribus unum'. That means 'from many, one,'" he told reporters. "Every life matters, no matter where you came from, no matter how you got here, no matter how you identify it. You have the right to live a life that is free." Ms Pirro, a former Fox News host appointed by Trump to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, said in a statement: "As always, we accept a jury's verdict; that is the system within which we function. However, law enforcement should never be subjected to assault, no matter how 'minor.'" She added that "even children know when they are angry, they are not allowed to throw objects at one another". 'Felony footlong' CBP Agent Gregory Lairmore testified that the sandwich "exploded" when it struck his chest hard enough that he could feel it through his ballistic vest. "You could smell the onions and the mustard," he recalled. Agent Lairmore's colleagues jokingly gave him gifts making light of the incident, including a sandwich-shaped plush toy and a patch that said "felony footlong". Agent Lairmore acknowledged that he kept the gifts, placing the patch on his lunch box.