President Trump has pardoned Michelino Sunseri, a trail runner who faced jail time for unknowingly violating an unpublished park regulation, cutting a switchback while breaking a Grand Teton speed record.
Cato Legal Fellow Mike Fox, who testified before Congress highlighting Sunseri’s case, notes in a new blog post that this prosecution exemplifies how federal prosecutors transform ordinary conduct into crimes using regulations never passed by Congress. Sunseri was denied his constitutional right to a jury trial due to the Supreme Court’s Petty Offense Exception.
Fox is available to discuss this case and broader implications for overcriminalization and constitutional rights. Please reach out to Madison: mmiller@cato.org.