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A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by two police officers over a memorial plaque commemorating the law enforcement response to the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Former Capitol Police officer Harry Dunn and DC Metro officer Daniel Hodges sought to have their names included on the plaque, which currently lists only the agencies involved.
U.S. District Judge Dabney Friedrich ruled on Wednesday (September 30) that the officers lacked standing to sue, citing "psychic injuries" as insufficient grounds for a lawsuit. According to The Hill, Judge Friedrich stated that the officers did not have a legally recognizable injury at the time the complaint was filed.
The plaque, which was installed in March 2026, acknowledges the agencies that responded to the Capitol attack and includes a QR code for visitors to access the names of individual officers. However, Dunn and Hodges argued that the plaque's placement in a non-public Senate wing effectively hid it from public view. They sought to have it prominently displayed in a publicly accessible area.
The officers' lawsuit followed a delay in the plaque's installation, which was mandated by a 2022 law signed by President Joe Biden. The law required the plaque to be installed within a year to honor the officers who defended the Capitol. The delay led Dunn and Hodges to sue the Architect of the Capitol to ensure the plaque was displayed as intended.
Judge Friedrich emphasized that while the officers had a personal connection to the plaque, their interest alone did not constitute a concrete injury under Article III. She referenced Chief Justice John Roberts' dissent in a separate case to support her ruling, noting that the officers' strong interest in the plaque did not transform it into a concrete injury.
The officers argued that the lack of individual recognition exacerbated their psychological trauma from the events of January 6 and encouraged harassment. However, the judge concluded that their claims did not meet the legal standard.