Thomas Frampton
@tframpton.bsky.social
Professor at UVA Law, visiting this year at GW Law, sometimes civil rights / criminal defense lawyer, full-time Ruth wrangler (RIP Haley). Stuff I write here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=1785600
Correction. Our costume was: "ALLEGED assault with a deli weapon, AN ALLEGATION ULTIMATELY REJECTED BY A JURY OF HIS PEERS AFTER CAREFUL DELIBERATION."
Our couple’s costume this year is: “Assault with a deli weapon.”
Happy Halloween to everyone except ICE, the National Guard, and other federal law enforcement occupying our city. #FreeDC
Happy Halloween to everyone except ICE, the National Guard, and other federal law enforcement occupying our city. #FreeDC
November 6, 2025 at 8:11 PM
Correction. Our costume was: "ALLEGED assault with a deli weapon, AN ALLEGATION ULTIMATELY REJECTED BY A JURY OF HIS PEERS AFTER CAREFUL DELIBERATION."
Whelp.
The trial of a former U.S. Justice Department staffer who hurled a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump’s police crackdown in Washington D.C. began on Tuesday with a federal prosecutor telling a jury, “You can’t go around throwing stuff."
Sandwich-hurling man on trial for 'throwing stuff' at federal agent in Washington
The trial of a former U.S. Justice Department staffer who hurled a sandwich at a federal agent during President Donald Trump’s police crackdown in Washington D.C. began on Tuesday with a federal prosecutor telling a jury, “You can’t go around throwing stuff."
reut.rs
November 6, 2025 at 7:32 PM
Whelp.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
🚨🚨🚨 The jury has reached a verdict. Sean Dunn, aka the DC Sandwich Guy, has been found NOT GUILTY of assault.
November 6, 2025 at 7:25 PM
🚨🚨🚨 The jury has reached a verdict. Sean Dunn, aka the DC Sandwich Guy, has been found NOT GUILTY of assault.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
please let this be the world cup that is such a shitshow it kills fifa
November 6, 2025 at 1:52 AM
please let this be the world cup that is such a shitshow it kills fifa
I represent several people serving life sentences whose entire trial took longer than deliberations have taken in the misdemeanor sandwich assault case.
The jury is entering deliberations now. If they come to a verdict today, cool! If not, they’ll be dismissed at 5 and we will return tomorrow for Day 4 of not the simplest case in the history of the world.
November 5, 2025 at 11:01 PM
I represent several people serving life sentences whose entire trial took longer than deliberations have taken in the misdemeanor sandwich assault case.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
wild that none of the virginia election news coverage mentions the fact that the d.c. metro area is still filled with a freaking military occupation
November 5, 2025 at 2:19 PM
wild that none of the virginia election news coverage mentions the fact that the d.c. metro area is still filled with a freaking military occupation
Okay, someone who understands Atlanta voting, can someone explain what the heck is going on? These are just totally different sets of numbers in the City Council President race?
November 5, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Okay, someone who understands Atlanta voting, can someone explain what the heck is going on? These are just totally different sets of numbers in the City Council President race?
Looking like the Virginia House of Delegates is going from 51(D)-49(R) ➡️ 64(D)-36(R). 🤯
projects.statenavigate.com/25-26/states...
projects.statenavigate.com/25-26/states...
VA NavCast
Live Election Night Results for the Virginia State Legislature.
projects.statenavigate.com
November 5, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Looking like the Virginia House of Delegates is going from 51(D)-49(R) ➡️ 64(D)-36(R). 🤯
projects.statenavigate.com/25-26/states...
projects.statenavigate.com/25-26/states...
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
this is the most successful a CIA officer has been at toppling a government in years.
November 5, 2025 at 1:13 AM
this is the most successful a CIA officer has been at toppling a government in years.
Bluesky lawyers are gonna dunk on this, but the Government is invoking a venerable legal rule that it's not "contempt of court" if you spell out, in a pleading called "how I'm going to do contempt of court," the way in which you plan to disobey a court order.
JUST IN: Unusual filing in Tish James case. DOJ says it isn't complying with judge's order to turn over discovery on selective prosecution issue. Usual procedure would be move to reconsider the order but prosecutors file 'notice' telling judge no. Doc: storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
#46 in United States v. James (E.D. Va., 2:25-cr-00122) – CourtListener.com
NOTICE Of Reasons for Not Providing Pre-Vindictive/Selective Prosecution Motion Related Discovery by USA as to Letitia A. James (Keller, Roger) (Entered: 11/04/2025)
storage.courtlistener.com
November 4, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Bluesky lawyers are gonna dunk on this, but the Government is invoking a venerable legal rule that it's not "contempt of court" if you spell out, in a pleading called "how I'm going to do contempt of court," the way in which you plan to disobey a court order.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Slimy Lawyer at trial: well how was the sandwich dressed when it happened?
Defense is now questioning Lairmore on cross-examination. They show a video still of the sandwich and wrapper on the ground, post-throw.
"Do you recognize that sandwich?" the attorney asks.
Lairmore won't confirm.
"I did not go back to collect it," he says.
"Do you recognize that sandwich?" the attorney asks.
Lairmore won't confirm.
"I did not go back to collect it," he says.
November 4, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Slimy Lawyer at trial: well how was the sandwich dressed when it happened?
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Defense tells judge they want to question Lairmore about 'gag gifts' he received from fellow officers after the alleged assault, including a Subway sandwich plush toy and a patch that (unless I misheard) said 'Felony Footlong.'
Prosecutors object. Defense argues they reflect CBP 'state of mind.'
Prosecutors object. Defense argues they reflect CBP 'state of mind.'
November 4, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Defense tells judge they want to question Lairmore about 'gag gifts' he received from fellow officers after the alleged assault, including a Subway sandwich plush toy and a patch that (unless I misheard) said 'Felony Footlong.'
Prosecutors object. Defense argues they reflect CBP 'state of mind.'
Prosecutors object. Defense argues they reflect CBP 'state of mind.'
There is a reason a "public" trial is part of the Sixth Amendment. One important benefit of that provision is that we should know who is being challenged, who the government doesn't want as a juror, and why people are being dismissed.
ESPECIALLY in a case like this one.
ESPECIALLY in a case like this one.
A few belated notes from jury selection today:
- all of voir dire was done with the husher on, so no way to know who was disqualified or on what grounds
- that drew a motion to do it over from Dunn’s atty citing 1st and 6th amendment concerns
- Nichols said a do-over seemed “drastic” and denied
- all of voir dire was done with the husher on, so no way to know who was disqualified or on what grounds
- that drew a motion to do it over from Dunn’s atty citing 1st and 6th amendment concerns
- Nichols said a do-over seemed “drastic” and denied
Trial Begins for Man Accused of Lobbing a Sandwich at a Federal Agent
www.nytimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 2:04 AM
There is a reason a "public" trial is part of the Sixth Amendment. One important benefit of that provision is that we should know who is being challenged, who the government doesn't want as a juror, and why people are being dismissed.
ESPECIALLY in a case like this one.
ESPECIALLY in a case like this one.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Appreciate the shoutout @williambaude.bsky.social. I think it’s fair! at least, I tried
blog.dividedargument.com/p/things-to-...
blog.dividedargument.com/p/things-to-...
November 3, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Appreciate the shoutout @williambaude.bsky.social. I think it’s fair! at least, I tried
blog.dividedargument.com/p/things-to-...
blog.dividedargument.com/p/things-to-...
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
I know other profs say this all the time but it's so true: Hearing from terrific former students that they are enjoying their jobs & are doing well (all things considered) is an absolute highlight of the job - and a high point of any week that it happens.
November 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
I know other profs say this all the time but it's so true: Hearing from terrific former students that they are enjoying their jobs & are doing well (all things considered) is an absolute highlight of the job - and a high point of any week that it happens.
Ian MacKaye sighting at D.C. farmer's market > Dave Mathews sighting at Charlottesville farmer's market.
November 1, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Ian MacKaye sighting at D.C. farmer's market > Dave Mathews sighting at Charlottesville farmer's market.
Our couple’s costume this year is: “Assault with a deli weapon.”
Happy Halloween to everyone except ICE, the National Guard, and other federal law enforcement occupying our city. #FreeDC
Happy Halloween to everyone except ICE, the National Guard, and other federal law enforcement occupying our city. #FreeDC
October 31, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Our couple’s costume this year is: “Assault with a deli weapon.”
Happy Halloween to everyone except ICE, the National Guard, and other federal law enforcement occupying our city. #FreeDC
Happy Halloween to everyone except ICE, the National Guard, and other federal law enforcement occupying our city. #FreeDC
I will be listening to this on loop for at least the next 48 hours. (Spooky, droney, weird, perfect music from @lankumdublin.bsky.social.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLLn...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLLn...
Lankum - Ghost Town (Official Video)
YouTube video by LankumDublin
www.youtube.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I will be listening to this on loop for at least the next 48 hours. (Spooky, droney, weird, perfect music from @lankumdublin.bsky.social.)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLLn...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLLn...
This is heartening. We made our first contribution to @katmabu.bsky.social this morning and I hope she wins--there's a reason she's being attacked so hard by Trump and AIPAC--but we need more of this kind of solidarity from elected officials and Dem candidates.
NEW: In a joint statement, six of the top #IL09 candidates condemned the indictment of Kat Abughazaleh and five others on Wednesday, calling it "partisan and unethical."
"This is what happens in dictatorships and failed states; we should never accept it here."
Statement:
"This is what happens in dictatorships and failed states; we should never accept it here."
Statement:
October 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
This is heartening. We made our first contribution to @katmabu.bsky.social this morning and I hope she wins--there's a reason she's being attacked so hard by Trump and AIPAC--but we need more of this kind of solidarity from elected officials and Dem candidates.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
lawyers who are appointed to represent people in federal criminal cases (these are private practice lawyers who handle public defender overflow - about 40% of all cases) haven't been paid since july. we barely have a government right now.
October 29, 2025 at 7:41 PM
lawyers who are appointed to represent people in federal criminal cases (these are private practice lawyers who handle public defender overflow - about 40% of all cases) haven't been paid since july. we barely have a government right now.
Reposted by Thomas Frampton
Pay her instead of the consultants
A single mother of four in Ohio whose children receive SNAP benefits puts it very clearly.
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/28/o...
ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/10/28/o...
October 28, 2025 at 10:39 PM
Pay her instead of the consultants
Again, not the most important here, but I'm begging for a journalist to figure out how/why NPS put up a Confederate statue DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. How is this "essential" when food stamps are not?
Feels symbolic that a Confederate statue first installed in 1901, at the peak of the consolidation of the Jim Crow system—when the states of the former Confederacy were in the midst of revising their constitutions to disfranchise Black citizens—has been reinstalled.
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
www.npr.org/2025/10/27/n...
A Confederate statue toppled in Washington, D.C., in 2020 has been reinstalled
A statue of Confederate general Albert Pike, which had been pulled down during the Black Lives Matter movement, has been put back up in Washington, D.C.'s Judiciary Square.
www.npr.org
October 28, 2025 at 1:54 PM
Again, not the most important here, but I'm begging for a journalist to figure out how/why NPS put up a Confederate statue DURING A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. How is this "essential" when food stamps are not?
This morning, ICE was camped out in front of the bilingual elementary school (Bancroft) in our neighborhood. Clearly targeting the “gang members” and “criminals” in the 1st Grade.
(They left when neighbors began blowing whistles and making noise.)
(They left when neighbors began blowing whistles and making noise.)
October 28, 2025 at 12:48 PM
This morning, ICE was camped out in front of the bilingual elementary school (Bancroft) in our neighborhood. Clearly targeting the “gang members” and “criminals” in the 1st Grade.
(They left when neighbors began blowing whistles and making noise.)
(They left when neighbors began blowing whistles and making noise.)
Periodic reminder that Rule 48(a) allows the judge to conduct further proceedings---including getting some answers to the judge's interesting and probably really important questions---prior to granting the Government's motion (even in circumstances where the motion is unopposed).
Oh nooooo!!!!!!
The government has decided that it is not in their interests to explain to the judge whether they knew the "victim" here had a criminal record.
Holy hell public defenders might gets us thru this shite.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
The government has decided that it is not in their interests to explain to the judge whether they knew the "victim" here had a criminal record.
Holy hell public defenders might gets us thru this shite.
storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.us...
October 28, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Periodic reminder that Rule 48(a) allows the judge to conduct further proceedings---including getting some answers to the judge's interesting and probably really important questions---prior to granting the Government's motion (even in circumstances where the motion is unopposed).