Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

A D.C. Superior Court judge has permanently dismissed the criminal case against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been charged with vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Judge Todd Edelman dismissed the felony property destruction charge "with prejudice," blocking U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro's office from refiling the case even under continued political pressure from President Trump. Edelman wrote that the government "shot first and asked questions later" in pursuing a "lightning-fast indictment," and said any possibility of future prosecution was "theoretical at best."

Pirro had already moved to drop the charge in July after new evidence from the Interior Department indicated Hearn was not responsible for the pool's damaged lining, attributing it instead to a botched contractor installation rushed ahead of the America 250 celebration. Trump publicly criticized Pirro over the decision, saying she "folded like an umbrella," while Interior Secretary Doug Burgum continued to back claims of vandalism. Hearn, 67, a three-time Olympian, said he had merely touched a loose piece of the pool's coating during a bike ride before complying with a park worker's instruction to let go. His attorneys called the dismissal a vindication after what they described as an unjust prosecution.