In 1985, New York’s Chief Justice, Sol Wachtler, made a memorable remark: “Any good prosecutor can indict a big ju judge for a ham sandwich.” Maybe there’s some truth to that, but it seems a bit more complicated when it comes to actually indicting someone for tossing a ham sandwich.
Recently, a 37-year-old man named Shawn Charles Dan, a former employee of the Justice Department, found himself in hot water for allegedly throwing a sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent in Washington, DC. This incident occurred on August 10, as Dan was caught on video yelling at the agent near the intersection of 14th Avenue and U Street. Footage shows him confronting the police and, after making a scene, he threw his sandwich at them and fled.
According to Detective Dinah Henry from the traffic police, Dan initially left the scene but returned to escalate his outburst. The controversial altercation included him hurling his sandwich at the officers who were very much present and trying to manage the situation.
Dan later shrugged off the situation, admitting, “I did it. I threw a sandwich.” But it’s worth noting that the implications were a bit weightier than just a sandwich toss.
One might assume the charges would fall under 18 US Code §111, which addresses assault on federal officers. To summarize, this law covers various forms of interference or aggression against designated officers during their official duties. Engaging in such behavior could lead to a range of penalties, including fines and possible imprisonment.
However, the law also outlines certain conditions under which these penalties apply. In this case, it’s important to note that throwing a sandwich doesn’t exactly qualify as a “dangerous weapon,” and, frankly, there didn’t seem to be any real physical damage caused by Dan’s actions.
Janine Pirro, a U.S. lawyer, voiced her intent to pursue serious consequences for Dan, insisting, “This guy thought it was funny. Well, he doesn’t think it’s funny today because we charged him with a felony for attacking a police officer.” But will the big jury see it that way? It’s possible they might consider it a minor offense at best.
This raises another question: who tipped off the Great Ju Court about the voting outcomes in this case? Reports suggest there’s an ongoing investigation into potential breaches of the court’s confidentiality rules.
On a related note, one has to wonder about the logic here: sandwiches are, well, sandwiches. They aren’t inherently dangerous. And though the attack may have felt significant in the moment, did it truly warrant such severe legal action?
Indeed, Dan might end up gaining some notoriety, perhaps even some crowdfunding support for his legal expenses. Yet, the reality is that he was just a protester at best, and his actions and sandwich certainly don’t make him a hero.
Now, it’s worth considering that the consequences of his behavior should be recognized. He was let go from his job at the Justice Department, which seems appropriate given the circumstances. However, should he face criminal charges? In my view, that might be necessary to uphold accountability.
