A federal choose has dismissed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism criminal case towards former Olympian David Hearn, in response to an order filed on Thursday.
In his order granting partially the Division of Justice’s request to dismiss the case, Affiliate Decide Todd Edelman mentioned he would wait to find out whether or not to grant the dismissal with prejudice — successfully blocking the federal government from attempting to cost Hearn once more for a similar alleged crime sooner or later — after listening to extra arguments from the federal government and Hearn’s attorneys.
Edelman has set forth a submitting schedule for each events and mentioned he would schedule a listening to for oral argument in some unspecified time in the future when all submissions are made.
Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn stands along with his lawyer as they converse to reporters following Hearn’s arraignment on a felony destruction of property cost associated to vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, at DC Superior Court docket in Washington, July 9, 2026.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
The Justice Division moved final week to dismiss the criminal case towards Hearn, acknowledging the injury to the pool “was the results of flawed set up by the contractor.” U.S. Lawyer Jeanine Pirro’s movement sought to dismiss the case with out prejudice, which may nonetheless depart Hearn uncovered to a future indictment.
Attorneys for Hearn filed a motion this week searching for to have the indictment towards him dismissed with prejudice, citing “distinctive information and circumstances.”
“Defying each decency and customary sense, the federal government proceeded to indict Mr. Hearn earlier than it had obtained or evaluated the knowledge essential to determine a good-faith foundation for the cost,” the submitting said.
“The Court docket shouldn’t depart the defendant topic to the potential of renewed prosecution,” the submitting said.
Hearn, a former U.S. Olympic canoeist, pleaded not responsible to a felony destruction of property charge final month after Pirro’s workplace accused him of “forcefully and violently” ripping up components of the pool ground.
Pirro’s workplace mentioned in its submitting searching for to drop the case that it solely realized of proof pointing to “a rushed and flawed set up course of” after Hearn had been indicted by a grand jury.
President Donald Trump this week blasted Pirro’s transfer to drop the case, saying she “choked” and “folded like an umbrella,” and continued to push allegations that vandals have been liable for reducing and tearing the pool lining.
