The US Justice Department has moved to dismiss its criminal case against former Olympian David Hearn, saying newly obtained evidence shows the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by construction failures not vandalism.
In a 20‑page filing, government lawyers said documents recently provided by the Interior Department revealed the damage stemmed from a botched contractor installation and a rush to finish work ahead of America 250 celebrations around Independence Day 2026. A fresh visual inspection also found damage across the entire pool, including areas “a vandal would not likely attempt to peel,” undermining the original theory of deliberate sabotage.
US Attorney Jeanine Pirro wrote that the new information made it “difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Hearn’s lawyers welcomed the dismissal but sharply criticised the prosecution, saying the case “should never have been brought.” They accused the government of “abuse of power” and said the administration “owes Mr Hearn an apology.”
The decision marks an embarrassing reversal for the Justice Department, which had framed the case as accountability for damage discovered ahead of Fourth of July festivities. But the prosecution had long faced evidentiary challenges, with Hearn and supporters calling it a politically motivated effort by the Trump administration to deflect blame.
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