The former Justice Department staffer whose thrown sandwich sparked a viral uproar was acquitted of misdemeanor assault Thursday afternoon, reinforcing growing concerns that Washington jurors are increasingly unwilling to convict or bring charges for certain offenders arrested amid President Donald Trump’s federal crime surge.

A jury on Thursday found 37-year-old Sean Charles Dunn not guilty, handing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro another courtroom defeat as she seeks to prosecute low-level confrontations as federal crimes to reassert order in the nation’s capital. The case had already suffered a major setback when a grand jury refused to indict Dunn on felony assault, prompting prosecutors to pursue the lesser charge at trial.

Recommended Stories

Appeals court allows enforcement

See Full Page