Key facts
- The Justice Department is dropping its case against David Hearn.
- David Hearn was accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- Prosecutors cited evidence of a contractor's flawed installation causing the damage.
- The contractor's error makes proving Hearn's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt difficult.
- The case against Hearn has been dismissed.
The Justice Department has announced it is dropping the case against former Olympian David Hearn, who faced charges of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The decision comes after prosecutors reviewed evidence indicating that the damage to the pool was caused by a contractor's flawed installation. This new evidence suggests that Hearn's actions did not directly lead to the vandalism, making it challenging to establish his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Consequently, the department has decided to dismiss the charges against him. The Reflecting Pool is a prominent landmark in Washington D.C., and any damage to it typically garners significant attention. The case against Hearn highlights the complexities of assigning blame when external factors, such as contractor errors, may be involved in the damage to public property.