Sean Dunn, who was prosecuted for throwing a sandwich at a federal agent in Washington, D.C., was acquitted by a jury on Thursday, dealing a loss to U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro.
The jury handed down the “not guilty” verdict after the three-day trial for misdemeanor assault began earlier this week. Pirro, a former Fox News host and judge, was appointed by President Donald Trump to her current Justice Department post after she vocally supported him in his first term and reelection campaigns.
“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,'” Pirro said in a statement after the verdict was handed down.
Pirro’s team initially wanted to charge Dunn, a former Justice Department employee, with a felony, but a grand jury declined to indict him on that charge.
Why It Matters
The case became a symbol of public resistance to federal law enforcement’s presence in Washington, D.C. Protest signs, Banksy-style murals, and viral memes turned the “sandwich throw” into a satirical emblem of anti-Trump sentiment. Critics of the prosecution called the case an overreach, while Trump allies viewed it as holding an individual accountable for an act of violence.
What To Know
Dunn threw the sandwich while yelling at officers, reportedly saying, “Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!”
In court, CBP agent Greg Lairmore, who was hit, testified that the sandwich “exploded” on his chest and left behind the smell of “onions and mustard.”
Dunn’s defense argued the sandwich, which remained mostly intact in its Subway wrapping, could not reasonably be considered a weapon. “A footlong from Subway could not and certainly did not inflict bodily harm,” said defense attorney Sabrina Shroff during closing arguments.
Dunn told the court he acted out of concern that the officers were preparing to raid a Latin LGBTQ+ nightclub he had just left. He was fired from the DOJ after the incident, a move publicly announced by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who described him as an example of the “deep state” her department opposes.
The man’s defense attorney, Julia Gatto, told the jury during the trial that Dunn’s actions were a “harmless gesture” as he finished exercising his right to speak out.
“He did it. He threw the sandwich,” Gatto said. “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.”
Pirro previously said Dunn should “stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else.”
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro speaks during a press conference on October 15, 2025. in Washington, D.C.
What People Are Saying
Sean Dunn told reporters after his acquittal Thursday: “I am so happy that justice prevails in spite of everything happening. And that night, I believe that I was protecting the rights of immigrants. And let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says ‘E pluribus unum’—that means ‘from many, one.’ Every life matters, no matter where you came from…”
Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a post on X on August 14: “You will NOT work in this administration while disrespecting our government and law enforcement.”
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, in a Thursday 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’. Even children know when they are angry, they are not allowed to throw objects at one another.”
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