Back for Day 2 of Sandwich Guy’s trial. In government opening statement: “This case is about the fact that you can’t go around throwing stuff at people when you’re mad.”
Defense begins with, “He did it. He threw the sandwich.” Goes on to argue that the throw was “an exclamation mark at the end of a verbal outburst.”
The officer Sandwich Guy is charged with assaulting testifies that he could feel the impact of the sandwich through his ballistic vest, and it “exploded all over my uniform.” He says he could “smell the onions and the mustard.”
Defense wants gag gifts provided to the officer after the incident included in discovery. One is a plushie sandwich and another is a patch that says, if I heard correctly, “Felony Footlong.” Sounds like we won’t end up seeing these physically but will hear them described.
Cross is underway now. Witness says he hadn’t read the “Making the District of Columbia Safe and Beautiful” EO he was supporting that night (now admitted into evidence). Believe the order only covers federal areas, of which the corner of 14th and U in front of the Subway is not one.
A bit earlier, the officer— Agent Larimore — was shown the end of an Instagram video of the incident, with a Subway footlong on the ground accompanied by the text, “This sandwich is going up in history.” He said he believed the video depicted the sandwich thrown at him but had no way of verifying.
We’re back to the sandwich video. The paper, the defense points out, is still on. “You don’t see there’s mustard on it?” “You can’t tell there’s ketchup on it?” Mayonnaise? Lettuce? Tomato? “In fact, that sandwich hasn’t exploded at all?” Witness says the sandwich “looks bent and out of shape.”
Agent Lairmore is done with his testimony. Prosecution asked further about the condiments and he said there was mustard on his uniform and an onion hanging on his radio antenna. Don’t think defense was going for a pun when she called him a “seasoned officer,” but you never know…
Nov 4, 2025 · 4:41 PM UTC
The government’s next witness, Metro Transit Police Department Detective Daina Henry, describes the sandwich throw as like a “baseball pitch.”
Dispute over whether the prosecution can play footage of the defendant in the police station (witness wasn’t there for the most relevant portion, but can authenticate the video). This could be where affidavit quotes as Sandwich Guy saying, “I did it. I threw the sandwich” (and/or explains why).
We are back. The video of Sandwich Guy in the station processing room has played (multiple times, due to a volume issue!). Sandwich Guy, sitting handcuffed on a bench, says in the footage he was trying to “draw them away from where they were.”
Cross now. Body cam footage of arrest plays. Defense is pointing out that the group of officers at the scene “swells” to a “very large” number, even though Sandwich Guy (apprehended post-throw) has become compliant. Also discussing how charges of assault and disorderly conduct were lodged locally.
These 15 or so officers remained at the scene for close to half an hour. Defense seems to be implying this was likely unnecessary. When Sandwich Guy was searched officers found $14 in his wallet, nasal spray, and “nothing else that would raise concerns.”
By the way, in the footage after Sandwich Guy said he was trying to draw the officers away from where they were, he declared, “I succeeded.”
Defense proposes that while a dispute over jury instructions is resolved, “It’s a nice fall day. We should let the jury go home.” The judge agrees, and says counsel can go enjoy the weather too! They’ll come back tomorrow morning.
So much for this taking “no more than 2 days” due to this being the “simplest case in the history of the world.”
