Defense lawyers launch interactive map tracking alleged Justice Department 'weaponization'

A nationwide association of criminal defense lawyers has launched an interactive mapping platform to track what it describes as the weaponization of the US Justice Department under the Trump administration, CBS News reported Sunday. The National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL) released the tool to allow attorneys and the public to review controversial, atypical, or unsuccessful prosecution efforts during the first year of President Donald Trump's second term.

Documenting Failed Prosecutions and Grand Jury Rejections

The online tracker, supported pro bono by legal professionals, highlights prominent instances where the Justice Department sought indictments against Trump administration critics, Democratic officials, or demonstrators—only to have grand juries decline to issue charges. Among documented cases is the so-called "sandwich thrower" incident, where a Washington, DC grand jury refused to indict a man accused of throwing a sandwich at a federal agent in 2025. The platform's mapping component illustrates a growing geographic distribution of such rejections across the country.

"Shield Against Tyranny"

NACDL President Andrew Birrell of Minneapolis framed the initiative in constitutional terms. "The Bill of Rights wasn't written to be a polite suggestion; it was written to be a shield against tyranny," he said in announcing the tool. "What we are seeing in courtrooms from the Midwest to the coasts is a fundamental, righteous rejection of the idea that criminal law can be used as a tool for political retribution. Jurors are seeing through these 'novel' and transparently thin theories. They are reminding this government that the people—not the prosecutors—hold the ultimate power in our justice system."

Forum Shopping Documentation

The tracker also documents alleged "weaponized forum shopping," including efforts to obtain an indictment against New York Attorney General Letitia James. According to the platform, the Justice Department reportedly convened grand juries in Alexandria, Richmond, and Norfolk, Virginia, searching for a favorable venue. These references appear layered onto a searchable national map with highlighted locations, providing defense attorneys with a collaborative resource to share relevant cases and draw insights from documented examples.

Defense Bar Response

Steven Salky, a Washington attorney assisting in overseeing the initiative, explained his motivation: "What has been happening is so unusual and different that I felt that it needed to be brought to the public's attention. I thought that this was a good way to help defense lawyers—particularly federal defenders—defend cases." The platform represents an organized response from the legal community to what it views as unprecedented uses of prosecutorial power, offering both documentation and a warning about the erosion of legal norms.