Jurors Find Man Not Guilty of Throwing Sandwich at CBP Agent
In a rather unusual courtroom scenario, jurors deliberating a case involving a man who threw a sub sandwich at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent in Washington, D.C., found themselves often laughing during the proceedings. Witness testimonies and playful banter from lawyers contributed to the lighthearted atmosphere. One juror shared with CBS News that it was a challenge for many in the packed courtroom to maintain “sane faces” throughout.
The defendant, Sean Dunn, faced a misdemeanor charge of simple assault but was ultimately acquitted. “So it was just a sandwich that was thrown,” commented a juror, adding, “I thought he’d get out of this quickly. There wasn’t much to the case. He tossed the sandwich at the deputy knowing it wouldn’t cause any harm. Really, who would see a sandwich as a weapon?”
Another juror echoed this sentiment, saying the case seemed straightforward and somewhat ridiculous. “We kept asking ourselves, could a sandwich even hurt someone in a bulletproof vest?” The trial spanned three days, with jurors deliberating for about seven hours before delivering their verdict on November 6th. After hearing the verdict, Dunn embraced his legal team in relief.
Dunn’s defense claimed that the act was not violent, arguing that the sandwich was thrown as a protest against former President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard to the city. Following the trial, Dunn stated, “I felt I was protecting immigrant rights. The Great Seal of the United States says ‘E Pluribus Unum’, which means every life matters and everyone deserves the freedom to live their life, regardless of their background.” Video footage of the incident quickly gained traction online, and many local residents viewed Dunn as a hero.
His lawyers acknowledged that he had, indeed, thrown the sandwich at CBP officers outside a nightclub but insisted it was meant as an emphatic gesture discussing his discontent with the National Guard’s presence in Washington.
Defense attorney Julia Gatto remarked, “It was a harmless act at the end of the day. He is overwhelmingly innocent.”
