D.C. Grand Jury Declines Indictment in Trump Threat Case

A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., declined to indict Nathalie Rose Jones, an Indiana woman accused of threatening President Donald Trump on social media, marking another instance of local juries rejecting federal charges amid increased enforcement efforts. Jones was charged with threatening the president’s life and transmitting threats across state lines using Instagram and Facebook, including graphic posts and emails expressing intentions to harm Trump. Despite her arrest following a protest near the White House, the grand jury found no probable cause to indict, with defense attorneys emphasizing the weak evidence and Jones’s documented mental health struggles. D.C. judges also released Jones to home detention, viewing her statements as the ravings of someone with mental illness rather than credible threats. This case reflects a wider trend in D.C. where grand juries comprised of local residents have repeatedly refused to indict suspects in politically sensitive cases, including a recent refusal to indict a Justice Department employee charged with assaulting federal law enforcement. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has expressed frustration over these decisions, asserting the seriousness of threatening the president and pledging continued prosecution efforts.