Prosecutors Seek Dismissal of Case Against Laugh Factory Manager From Chicago Immigration Sweep

Overview

• Federal prosecutors filed a motion Wednesday to dismiss the complaint against Nathan Griffin without prejudice, leaving open the possibility of refiling pending a judge’s approval.
• Griffin was accused of forcibly assaulting a federal officer on Oct. 24 in Lakeview, with a complaint alleging he tried to slam a car door on a Border Patrol agent’s leg, causing minor scrapes.
• Videos and eyewitnesses described agents in tactical gear tackling Griffin outside the Laugh Factory as bystanders shouted, and his family disputed that he made physical contact.
• After a preliminary hearing sent the matter to a grand jury, no indictment followed and court records show prosecutors submitted no additional evidence before the dismissal request.
• The filing follows recent drops of charges in other Operation Midway Blitz cases, including those against Marimar Martinez, Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, and Air Force veteran Dana Briggs, as a magistrate judge criticized the haste of several filings.