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A judge on Thursday permanently dismissed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the costly $14 million renovation project in June.
D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman’s ruling marks the end of a monthslong legal battle that included President Donald Trump criticizing U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro after she moved to voluntarily dismiss the federal charges in late July.
Unlike Pirro’s decision, Thursday’s ruling was made with prejudice, meaning the Department of Justice (DOJ) cannot refile the same charges against Hearn.
Edelman rejected prosecutors’ request to preserve the possibility of recharging Hearn if new evidence surfaced, finding that existing investigative findings were sufficient to show the damage stemmed from a flawed renovation job.
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David Hearn was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June. (David Madison/Getty Images, File; Reuters/Annabelle Gordon)
“In the exceptional circumstances posed by this case, the government has no right to retain the ability to compound the errors it has already made, or even to threaten to do so, at Mr. Hearn’s expense,” Edelman said. “This case must be dismissed with prejudice, and the government must thus be barred from reinstituting this charge against Mr. Hearn.”
Hearn’s counsel described the decision as a victory for “an innocent American seeking justice.”
“This case never should have been brought in the first place. This was a miscarriage of justice, and what happened to Mr. Hearn is an outrage that should shock every American,” Hearn’s counsel said in a statement.
“This administration chose to pursue an unjust prosecution against Mr. Hearn. It should not get repeated chances to wield the power of criminal prosecution against someone who should never have been prosecuted.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.
WHITE HOUSE ASKS DOJ TO CONSIDER NEW PROSECUTION IN REFLECTING POOL CASE
President Donald Trump previously urged U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro to reconsider the Justice Department’s decision to drop vandalism charges against former Olympian David Hearn. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images, File)
Hearn was arrested June 19 and later indicted on one felony count of destruction of property for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool’s lining.
Prosecutors alleged that Hearn was seen grabbing and tugging on a loose section of the pool’s coating, reportedly causing about $1,000 in damage. Officials added that he continued to do so even after National Park Service employees urged him to stop.
TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN ON REFLECTING POOL VANDALISM ALLEGATIONS, CITES NEW WITNESS ACCOUNT
Former Olympian David Hearn, left, walks with his attorney, Norman Eisen, to speak to reporters gathered after his arraignment at Moultrie Courthouse July 9, in Washington, D.C. A D.C. judge on Thursday permanently dismissed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool vandalism case against the former Olympian. (Finn Gomez/Getty Images, File)
Trump has strictly maintained that the pool was vandalized, criticizing Pirro’s decision to drop the case as “hastily made.”
“Anybody who thinks the Reflecting Pool wasn’t vandalized should go back to Law School!” Trump previously said in a post on Truth Social.
“People were on their knees with their hands in the water at the exact location of the ‘slashes.’ Additionally, there were witnesses to the VANDALISM, and the flexible areas of the material were cut with a knife.”
The Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool as seen from the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. (Rahmat Gul/AP Photo, File)
The DOJ moved to dismiss the indictment after evidence from the Department of the Interior revealed that the damage was caused by a “rushed and botched” installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings ahead of the America 250 celebrations, court filings said.
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According to the documents, Hearn touched peeling perimeter “overspray” material that was already peeling and had minimal economic value.
Hearn subsequently requested that the case be dismissed with prejudice, permanently barring the government from refiling the charges.