Former DOJ Staffer Cleared in Sandwich-Throwing Incident Amid D.C. Tensions

Sean Dunn, a former DOJ staffer, was acquitted of assault after throwing a sandwich at a federal agent. The trial highlighted tensions in D.C. over Trump's law enforcement surge. The case was downgraded from a felony when a grand jury declined to indict. Dunn's defense argued the act was a harmless frustration gesture.

Former DOJ staffer Sean Dunn was acquitted of a misdemeanor assault charge after throwing a sandwich at a federal agent amid heightened tensions in Washington D.C. The incident took place during President Trump's controversial law enforcement surge in the capital.

The trial, which spanned three days, shed light on the unrest caused by the deployment of law enforcement agents and the National Guard to control crime in the city. Video footage showed Dunn berating officers before hurling the sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection agent.

Despite the prosecution's argument that Dunn interfered with law enforcement, the jury sided with the defense's narrative of a harmless gesture of frustration. The aftermath of the surge in federal agents saw a decline in crime but also sparked resistance among some city residents.

(With inputs from agencies.)