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David Hearn returns to court to argue for permanent dismissal of vandalism charges

Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn returned to court to request that Judge Todd Edelman formally dismiss his vandalism charges regarding the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with prejudice. This would prevent federal prosecutors from seeking new charges against him in the future. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro previously moved to dismiss the indictment without prejudice, acknowledging that the damage to the pool was caused by a flawed installation rather than vandalism. This decision prompted criticism from President Trump, who publicly stated that the damage was a result of pure vandalism. During the hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Spence stated that the government currently has no evidence suggesting Hearn committed a crime and is not conducting an active investigation. However, Spence argued against a permanent dismissal, noting that the government brought the initial indictment in good faith based on the evidence available at the time. Hearn's attorneys argued that because the government admitted the damage was a botched installation, there is no longer a basis for the case to remain open. They requested a dismissal with prejudice to ensure Hearn is no longer subject to potential re-prosecution due to the administration's public comments.

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