U.S. prosecutors announced on Friday that the charges of vandalism against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn are dropped after new evidence links the damage to a botched repair job on the Reflecting Pool.
The damage, originally attributed by President Donald Trump to "sick, deranged" vandals, now appears to stem from a rushed installation by a contractor chosen by the Department of Interior in a bid to beautify the capital ahead of Independence Day 2026.
Hearn, who had been facing up to ten years in prison, maintains he never removed or harmed the paint, and his lawyers have called the prosecution an abuse of power.
The federal filing says that the Interior Department failed to provide prosecutors with complete information, leading to a grand jury indictment that is now being overturned.
The Reflecting Pool, which has seen repeated renovations, remains drained as officials work to address ongoing structural and maintenance issues.
