Federal Prosecutor Steps Down from James Comey Indictment Case

A federal grand jury has indicted former FBI Director James Comey for an Instagram photo featuring seashells arranged to spell out "86 47." Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Petracca, who was handling the case, has stepped aside, as noted in a court filing. Petracca has also withdrawn from other cases in the Eastern District of North Carolina. The indictment suggests that the arrangement of the shells could be interpreted as a serious threat against President Donald Trump. The meaning of the numbers remains unclear, though "86" is often used in restaurant slang to indicate that something is out of stock, while "47" may refer to the 47th president. This is the second attempt by the Justice Department to indict Comey, following a previous case that was dismissed due to issues with the prosecutor's appointment. The current case is set to go to trial in October, pending legal challenges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo will now lead the prosecution. Legal experts have expressed skepticism about the case's viability, with some predicting it may be dismissed before reaching trial.