Letter to the editor: Grand Jury sinks sub sandwich silliness

Letter reprinted from the Brunswick Beacon, 09.11.25

It’s rare for prosecutors to present a case to a grand jury without getting an indictment. I know because I was one. Prosecutors control what grand jurors hear. Defendants’ lawyers aren’t allowed in the room to contradict it. That’s why New York Supreme Court Justice Sol Wachtler famously said, “Any good prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich.”

Wachtler’s claim was tested when Trump’s handpicked U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, tried to get a grand jury to indict Sean Dunn for throwing a sandwich at a customs officer patrolling northwest D.C, a peaceful area filled with restaurants. Dunn called him a fascist, shouted, “Why are you here? I don’t want you in my city!” then sailed the sub toward the officer. “I did it,” Dunn said, “I threw a sandwich.”

Pirro said, “This guy thought it was funny — well, he doesn’t think it’s funny today, because we charged him with a felony. So there, stick your Subway sandwich somewhere else!” We don’t know if the grand jurors thought it was funny. We know they didn’t think it was a felony because they refused to indict Dunn.

Wachtler’s claim failed, although, in fairness, he did say “any GOOD prosecutor.” Pirro might not qualify: she also failed to persuade three different grand juries to indict a woman who refused to stop filming officers, as is her constitutional right.

For the past 17 years, Pirro has been a TV host, although she doesn’t lack courtroom experience. Pirro was named in a defamation suit for lying about Dominion voting machines. That cost Fox $787.5 million and caused her producer to call Pirro “a reckless maniac.” Pirro’s husband was convicted on 23 counts of conspiracy and tax evasion, incarcerated for 17 months, then pardoned by Trump.

Grand juries might be willing to indict a ham sandwich. They draw the line at a load of baloney.

Vince Amoroso

Sunset Beach