WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Department prosecutors are dropping their federal case against a woman who was charged with threatening to kill President Donald Trump — the latest in a string of self-inflicted setbacks for prosecutors during President Donald Trump's law-enforcement surge in the nation's capital.
A grand jury refused to indict Nathalie Rose Jones before U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office asked a judge on Friday to dismiss her case in district court. A one-page court filing by Pirro’s office says dismissing the case against Jones “is in the interests of justice,” but it doesn't elaborate.
Jones was due back in court Monday for a preliminary hearing. Her attorney, Mary Petras, asked the court to dismiss the case “with prejudice,” which would prevent prosecutors from reviving the case.
“Given the grand jury’s decision, Ms. Jones should not be forced to live under the threat of later charges and rearrest,” Petras wrote.
Petras said a prosecutor notified her Friday that “no additional presentations were made to the grand jury.”
“The charges against Ms. Jones were based on interpretations of statements the government presented to the grand jury," she wrote. "The grand jury rejected that interpretation of the statements and apparently agreed that Ms. Jones’s statements were consistent with her First Amendment rights.”
It is extraordinarily rare for a grand jury to balk at returning an indictment, but it has happened at least seven times in five cases since Trump's surge started nearly a month ago.
One of the instances involved the case against a man charged with hurling a sandwich at a federal agent, a confrontation captured on a viral video. A grand jury also declined to indict Edward Alexander Dana, who was charged with making a death threat against Trump while in police custody on Aug. 17.
Prosecutors on Thursday asked a magistrate judge to dismiss the federal case against Dana, but they charged him with misdemeanors in D.C. Superior Court.
A spokesperson for Pirro's office didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Jones' case.
Jones, 50, of Lafayette, Indiana, was arrested Aug. 16 in Washington on charges that she made death threats against Trump on social media and during an interview with Secret Service agents.
Prosecutors said Jones posted an Aug. 6 message on Facebook that she was “willing to sacrificially kill this POTUS by disemboweling him and cutting out his trachea.” When Secret Service agents questioned her on Aug. 15, Jones said she hoped to peacefully remove Trump from office but “will kill him out at the compound if I have to,” according to prosecutors. Jones was arrested a day later in Washington, where she joined a protest near the White House.
Jones repeatedly told Secret Service agents that she had no intent to harm anyone, didn’t own any weapons and went to Washington to peacefully protest, according to her attorney.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro walks outside the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Mark Scheifele had a goal and three assists, Jonathan Toews scored for the fourth consecutive game and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Minnesota Wild 6-2 on Thursday night.
Toews also had an assist, Gabriel Vilardi and Josh Morrissey each had a goal and an assist, and Tanner Pearson and Logan Stanley scored as Winnipeg tied its season high for goals.
Connor Hellebuyck made 32 saves as the Jets won their fourth straight following an 11-game losing streak (0-7-4). Winnipeg is 9-1-1 in its past 11 games against the Wild, including six straight wins in Minnesota.
Danila Yurov and Marcus Johansson scored for the Wild, who are 1-3-2 in their last six games. Jesper Wallstedt made 14 saves in two periods; Filip Gustavsson had eight in the third.
Minnesota had the game’s first 10 shots on goal, but Winnipeg scored first when, with a two-man advantage, Toews poked in a rebound of Vilardi's shot.
It was the 900th career point for Toews, who last had goals in four straight games in March 2014. He had three goals in his first 42 games this season.
Pearson put home his own rebound with 11 seconds left in the opening period. A one-timer from Morrissey made it 3-0 eight seconds later.
It was the fastest two goals scored since the franchise relocated to Winnipeg. Ron Hainsey and Chris Thorburn scored seven seconds apart for the Atlanta Thrashers on Dec. 2, 2008.
Yurov got the Wild within 3-1 early in the second period, but Stanley scored on a slap shot, Vilardi on a rebound and Scheifele went bar down later in the frame for his 13th career four-point game.
Morrissey’s assist on Vilardi’s goal gave him 90 career multipoint games, passing Dustin Byfuglien for the most by a defenseman in Jets history.
Jets: Host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Wild: Begin a three-game trip Saturday at Buffalo.
AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Winnipeg Jets left wing Cole Koepke (45) tries to slap the puck away from Minnesota Wild left wing Marcus Johansson (90) during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt (30) stops a shot as defenseman Jared Spurgeon, left and defenseman Daemon Hunt, second from right, tries to clear Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (19) and center Gabriel Vilardi (13) from the goal during the second period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Winnipeg Jets left wing Tanner Pearson (70) hits the puck over Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt to score a goal during the first period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Winnipeg Jets defenseman Logan Stanley, second from right, celebrates with right wing Nino Niederreiter (62), center Vladislav Namestnikov (7) and center Cole Perfetti (91) after scoring against the Minnesota Wild during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews (19) scores a goal as he's checked by Minnesota Wild defenseman Jake Middleton (5) during the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Jan. 15, 2025, in St. Paul, Minn. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
