Trendpills
WASHINGTON – Jury selection has commenced in the federal trial of Sean Dunn, a former Justice Department employee who gained notoriety for throwing a sandwich at a federal agent during heated protests in Washington, D.C., in August 2025. The incident made Dunn a symbol of local resistance against the Trump administration's deployment of federal law enforcement to American cities.
The confrontation occurred in the U Street corridor amid a tense standoff between demonstrators and a line of federal agents, including members of the Border Patrol and FBI. Dunn was arrested and initially faced a felony charge of assaulting a federal officer. However, a grand jury later declined to indict him on the felony, and prosecutors proceeded with a lesser misdemeanor charge of simple assault.
Dunn pleaded not guilty in September 2025. Following his arraignment on the reduced charge, his legal team has since fought the allegations. They argue that the case represents a misuse of federal resources. In October, his attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the case entirely, claiming it is an act of "vindictive and selective prosecution."
The defense contends that the government is pursuing the case to make an example of Dunn for his act of protest. This legal challenge points to an alleged overreach by prosecutors in a matter that they argue would typically be handled as a minor local offense, if at all. According to an Associated Press report, witnesses stated the sandwich did not appear to hit the agent directly but rather landed at his feet. Dunn's case has drawn significant media attention, highlighting the tensions that characterized the summer 2025 demonstrations. If convicted of the misdemeanor, for which he has pleaded not guilty, Dunn could face up to one year in prison.
