NewzFederal prosecutors have moved to dismiss a vandalism indictment against former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who had been accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The government had previously alleged that Hearn ripped a piece of sealant from the bottom of the pool following a $14 million renovation.
In a court filing, U.S. Department of Justice lawyers stated that information provided since the indictment indicates the damage was actually the result of a flawed and botched installation by the contractor, rather than vandalism.
Hearn had consistently maintained his innocence, explaining that he had simply touched the water in the pool out of curiosity. With prosecutors now attributing the damage to contractor error rather than intentional destruction, the legal case against him is set to be dropped.
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