Charges dropped against Olympian accused of damaging Trump's $14m pool project

Prosecutors in the US have dropped the case against a former Olympian accused of vandalising the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington.

The US Department of Justice has moved to dismiss its case against Olympian David Hearn.

DOJ to drop Reflecting Pool vandalism case against David Hearn  ESPN

A 67-year-old had been charged with felony vandalism in US federal court.

A former Olympian will not face trial after federal prosecutors acknowledged that the Trump administration’s claims of vandalism were false.

President Donald Trump had blamed "sick" vandals, and a former Olympian had been charged, but prosecutors now say contractors caused the damage.

The U.S. government dismissed the felony indictment against David Hearn, the former Olympian accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool of the National Mall.

The Trump administration dropped charges against a former Olympic canoeist over damage to the renovated Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool, saying new evidence showed the contractor was to blame. NBC News’ Garrett Haake reports.

Federal prosecutors suggested that the damage was instead due to a rushed installation.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro has filed a motion to dismiss the indictment against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June. In moving to dismiss the case, Pirro admitted that the damage to the landmark was the “result of flawed ins

Lawyers now say damage to pool liner attributed to David Hearn instead is result of installation by contractor The justice department has moved to dismiss a criminal case charging former Olympian David Hearn with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial‘ reflecting pool, instead blaming damage to the pool liner as “t

The US Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing that information provided since the indictment of David Hearn shows that the damage was the result of a “flawed

Prosecutors Drop Case Against Olympic Canoeist Charged With Vandalizing Reflecting Pool  WSJ

The Justice Department moved to dismiss charges against David Hearn, concluding that the pool on the National Mall was damaged by a “botched” installation.

The U.S. Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) moved Friday to drop its criminal prosecution of a former Olympian charged with destroying the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, saying the damage was instead the result of a “rushed and botched installation.”  U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office blamed the contractor for overspraying a

US says contractor caused Reflecting Pool damage, drops case against former Olympian  Reuters

Information shows that the damage was the result of a ‘flawed installation’ as well as the ‘rush to complete the project’ before America 250 celebrations, court filing stated

The Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Hearn said he only touched a piece of paint that had peeled off from the reflecting pool.

Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing that information provided since the indictment of David Hearn shows that the damage was the result of a "flawed installation by the contractor" as well as "the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surround

US drops charges against Olympian in Reflecting Pool damage, citing flawed work  USA Today

U.S. government lawyers said in a court filing that information provided since the indictment shows that the damage was the result of a 'flawed installation by the contractor.'

The Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging former Olympian David Hearn with damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

The Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Trump Admin Drops Criminal Case Against Ex-Olympian Charged With Damaging Reflecting Pool  HuffPost

Justice Department drops criminal case against ex-Olympian charged with damaging Reflecting Pool  AP News

Jeanine Pirro's office says the Department of the Interior withheld records about pre-existing coating problems before David Hearn's indictment.

CNN breaks down DOJ’s admission that Reflecting Pool renovation was flawed  CNN

President Donald Trump had touted the Reflecting Pool update, one of many renovations in D.C. he ordered ahead of America's 250th birthday celebrations.

Justice Department drops criminal case against ex-Olympian charged with damaging Reflecting Pool  Toronto Star

The Justice Department has moved to dismiss a criminal case charging a former Olympian with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

The Justice Department moved to dismiss the criminal case against Olympian David Hearn.

The July 31 court filing reveals that the sealant at the bottom of the Reflectiong Pool had "[a]lmost immediately" begun peeling after the work.