Democracy Dies in Darkness
Local Crime & Public Safety

D.C. judges and grand jurors push back on Trump policing surge

A federal grand jury refused to indict a man who threw a sandwich at a federal officer, and grand jurors refused three times to indict a woman accused of assaulting an FBI agent.

11 min
President Donald Trump speaks to the press Aug. 11 from the White House about deploying federal law enforcement agents in Washington to bolster the local police presence. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
By
and 

President Donald Trump’s surge of federal law enforcement on the streets of D.C. is meeting resistance in the city’s federal courthouse, where magistrate judges have admonished prosecutors for violating defendants’ rights and court rules, and grand jurors have repeatedly refused to issue indictments.

Get concise answers to your questions. Try Ask The Post AI.

What readers are saying

The comments reflect strong resistance to President Trump's surge of federal law enforcement in D.C., with many expressing concern over the erosion of constitutional rights and the potential for a police state. Commenters praise D.C. judges and grand jurors for pushing back... Show more
This summary is AI-generated. AI can make mistakes and this summary is not a replacement for reading the comments.
By
Salvador Rizzo covers federal courts for The Washington Post. Send him secure tips at srizzo.86 on Signal.
By
Michael Laris is a reporter on The Washington Post’s local enterprise team. He previously covered national transportation issues and was a reporter in Beijing.@mikelaris
NewsletterWeekdays
Post Local
The news you need about the place you call home. News, weather and lifestyle for D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
Already a subscriber? Sign in
LIMITED TIME OFFER

Ways to read this article:

Create account
Free
Monthly
50¢ USD 
every week
Access this article and personalize your experience.
Add your email address
paypal
Card