After Grand Jury ‘No Bill,’ Judge Dismisses Case Against Laugh Factory Manager

U.S. Magistrate Judge Keri Holleb Hotaling on Wednesday dismissed the federal assault case without prejudice after prosecutors disclosed that a grand jury declined to indict Nathan Griffin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeff Snell told the court the government has no intention of retrying the matter, even though the ruling technically permits refiling. Griffin, 25, was accused of closing a car door on a Border Patrol agent’s leg during an Oct. 24 encounter near Belmont and Broadway, with charging papers citing minor scrapes and video showing agents taking him to the ground. Prosecutors first sought dismissal on Dec. 3 after an indictment deadline had already been extended once and the panel returned no charges. The outcome tracks a wider pattern from Operation Midway Blitz, with multiple high‑profile cases dropped, several rare grand‑jury rejections reported, and no convictions to date.