Hearn lawyers seek permanent end to Reflecting Pool case
What's new: The defense says prosecutors ignored visible liner defects and evidence that repairs were needed regardless of Hearn's actions.
Lawyers for former Olympian David Hearn asked a Washington judge Tuesday to permanently dismiss the criminal case accusing him of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, arguing the Justice Department knew or should have known the case was flawed. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved last week to drop the indictment after new Interior Department evidence showed Hearn was not responsible for damage to the pool's lining. In a new filing, Hearn's attorneys said the defects were longstanding, publicly visible and tied to a rushed installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings ahead of America 250 events around July 4. They also argued key evidence and witnesses undercut the government's damages claim before Hearn was indicted.