this post was submitted on 06 Nov 2025
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politics

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[–] mister_flibble@sh.itjust.works 90 points 1 week ago (2 children)
[–] pressedhams@lemmy.blahaj.zone 21 points 1 week ago

⬆️ take it and go you animal.

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[–] CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world 58 points 1 week ago

The man who was hit with the sandwich was CBP agent Gregory Lairmore, who told the jury earlier this week that the sandwich “kind of exploded all over my uniform” and “smelled of onions and mustard”, according to the Washington Post. The defense pushed back, as it appeared in imagery from the scene that the sandwich did not leave its wrapper.

LOL, how is this not The Onion?

Anyway, it'd be nice to be able to sue the shit out of those responsible for wasting this guy's time, reinstall him in his job, and give him all back pay.

[–] not_that_guy05@lemmy.world 46 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Now sue them for $.

Or politicians need to be forced to vote to remove this immunity BS. We need to push for that and the removal of citizens United.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 27 points 1 week ago (5 children)

I was just wondering if he could sue for malicious prosecution.

[–] Arghblarg@lemmy.ca 33 points 1 week ago

... and can the police officer who LIED (perjured himself) when saying the sandwich "exploded all over" be privately charged if the court won't do it themselves?

[–] not_that_guy05@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago

Who knows but if he does they should bar the agent and lawyer that brought up the charges from ever bringing charges again on anybody.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 9 points 1 week ago (3 children)

He probably can't. Absurd as it may sound, he was actually guilty.

Here are model jury instructions for the charge, which include:

There is a forcible assault when one person intentionally strikes another

It doesn't say that the victim must be struck with something very likely to injure them. Looking at the statute, it turns out that actual physical contact (rather than making a threat without contact) elevates it to a felony - the charge a grand jury previously rejected.

Of course, prosecutors normally apply common sense to charging decisions and don't prosecute everything that technically qualifies under the strictest reading of a statute.

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

It took 3 grand juries to even be able to bring the case, it was always going to end in acquittal. Sure, it's technically assault, but nobody was going to convict for that.

[–] Zak@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

This was charged as a misdemeanor. No grand jury this time.

I'm on the protestor's side here, but in general, it probably ought to be illegal to throw sandwiches at people. Some jurisdictions have a separate offense of harassment for offensive or even merely nonconsensual intentional physical contact that presents no risk of injury.

I'd have voted not guilty if I was on that jury, but guilty for the same conduct under different circumstances, such as throwing food at a fast food worker over a customer service issue.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 4 points 1 week ago

He threw it in self defense

[–] snooggums@piefed.world 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Did he literally throw a sandwich? Yes.

Is he guilty of forcible assault by throwing the sandwich? No.

If doing a thing was the same as guilt there wouldn't be a trial.

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago

I don’t mean to be a pedant here, but he’s not actually guilty. The jury decided that.

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[–] the_q@lemmy.zip 39 points 1 week ago (3 children)
[–] kata1yst@sh.itjust.works 12 points 1 week ago

I see what you did there

[–] fluxion@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

That hero is a hero

[–] nosuchanon@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

He’s a gyro.

[–] 6stringringer@lemmy.zip 32 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I am happy they didn’t find him guilty of assault with a deli weapon.

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[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 31 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I'm glad DC juries aren't putting up with Trump and Bondi's fascist shit

[–] ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

The random sample survey of 604 D.C. residents was taken between August 14 and 17 shortly after Trump signed the executive order. It indicates some 65 percent of residents do not believe the presence of FBI agents and uniformed National Guard troops from an increasing number of states makes the city safer.

Eight of 10 residents surveyed oppose Trump’s executive order to federalize law enforcement in the city. Seven in 10 oppose it “strongly.”

Source.

I'm not sure why they thought a DC jury would ever convict, given that even a DC grand jury (which hears only the prosecutor's side) didn't indict.

[–] tburkhol@lemmy.world 11 points 1 week ago

The grand jury didn't really have any choice: it was a turkey sandwich, and they only indict ham.

[–] ToiletFlushShowerScream@lemmy.world 30 points 1 week ago (4 children)

"This, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, is about a sandwich" and after the federal agent claimed to have been smeared with mustard and onions, the defense showed a picture of the sandwich - still completely in its wrapper.

[–] N0t_5ure@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago

"If the wrapper is still fit, you must acquit!"

[–] jonne@infosec.pub 12 points 1 week ago

I was kind of hoping the defence would produce a receipt that confirmed it was a BLT without onions, hence proving the agent committed perjury.

[–] hotdogcharmer@lemmy.zip 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Wait, so the cop didn't even actually get mustard and onions on him?

[–] fluxion@lemmy.world 6 points 1 week ago

That was from the hamberders he ate for lunch

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[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 21 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

I wish in cases like these, the jury could sanction the prosecution, like not guilty, and we revoke your right to practice law for 90 days for being such fucking idiots and harming the accused, and wasting our fucking time.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Also just further on this... think of how many frivilious law suits could be prevented with that. Don't let the jury block them for a year, and maybe keep a harsher thing like 90 days for state/feds, but imagine if someone hires a lawyer to sue someone for something absolutely ridiculous, and they knew they would risk not being able to practice law for a week if they offend the jury for how stupid it was.

[–] jaybone@lemmy.zip 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

For civil suits, some states have something called anti-SLAP (?) laws, which try to do something similar by allowing the defendant to sue the plaintiff.

[–] NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I still think just giving the jury some of that power on the spot would be better, now you're doing yet another lawsuit, and the lawyer isn't at risk if it's the defendent suing the plaintiff and you still gotta have the Jury rule on that when they could have just ruled on it on the spot the first time.

It's nice to know there is some recourse though.

[–] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 13 points 1 week ago

Man frowns at MAGA.

Republicans: he assaulted me! Lock him up!

[–] Grimy@lemmy.world 13 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I revel in the fact that the cop is going to get roasted for this through out his career. We should start emailing quality puns to the department so they don't run out of fodder too quick.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 4 points 1 week ago

Please share the email address

[–] W3dd1e@lemmy.zip 10 points 1 week ago

Can you imagine a lunchroom food fight if this had been considered assault?

[–] agent_nycto@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Time to make more sandwiches and milkshakes

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[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 6 points 1 week ago

This is preposterous! It's a dangerous ruling! If this is truly how it's going to go, then people will start buying subs and throwing them at ice thugs every da......

I withdraw my comment and give back the rest of my time.

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