Will Indict a Ham Sandwich?

Cultural impact. New York State chief judge Sol Wachtler was famously quoted by Tom Wolfe in The Bonfire of the Vanities that "a grand jury would 'indict a ham sandwich,' if that's what you wanted."

What does it mean when they say a prosecutor can indict a ham sandwich?

What does the phrase a grand jury would indict a ham sandwich mean? When they say that attorney can indict a ham sandwich it means that he's a good prosecutor who works well in front of a Grand Jury.

Could get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich?

Since, traditionally, the defense doesn't get a say, it's pretty easy to get a grand jury to indict someone in most cases. In fact, it's so easy in most cases that a former New York state chief judge, Sol Wachtler, famously remarked that a prosecutor could persuade a grand jury to “indict a ham sandwich.”

Alexander Ross

Alexander Ross

Gaming, Esports & Interactive Media Writer

Alexander Ross has covered the video game industry for a decade, writing deep dives on game design, esports tournaments, VR developments, and gaming culture.