DC's Alleged Sandwich Thrower Enters His Plea

The former Department of Justice staffer accused of assaulting a federal officer with a sandwich pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the misdemeanor assault charge he faces. Sean Dunn, 37, stood before US District Judge Carl J. Nichols, where he appeared "largely stoic," per NBC News, and opted for a jury trial, which was scheduled for Nov. 3. The incident in question took place on Aug. 10, shortly after President Trump sent federal agents into Washington, DC. According to prosecutors, Dunn was filmed throwing a salami sub at a Customs and Border Protection agent—an act punctuated by shouted insults and objections to the agents' presence. The sandwich reportedly struck the agent in the chest.

Prosecutors initially sought to charge Dunn with a felony, but a grand jury declined to indict, a twist made only more notable by the old legal adage that a grand jury will "indict a ham sandwich." The Hill reports that street art depicting the sandwich toss has started popping up in DC, as well as on shirts, stickers, and protest signs. The case comes amid broader political tensions over the federal deployment to DC, a move Trump has defended as necessary to address crime. Data, however, indicates violent crime in the city has been on the decline. The administration is now considering sending agents to other cities, including Chicago, even as local trends show similar drops in crime rates.