The Justice Department moved Friday to dismiss a criminal case against former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who had been charged with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
In a 20-page court filing, government lawyers stated that information provided since the indictment indicates the damage was not the result of vandalism. Instead, the liner of the newly renovated pool peeled due to a flawed and botched installation by the contractor.
Prosecutors noted that the damage was also a result of the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.