DOJ drops Olympian David Hearn pool damage case in Washington
What's new: prosecutors said records showed the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool liner was flawed and peeling before Hearn was charged.
The Justice Department moved to dismiss the felony property destruction case against Olympian David Hearn after newly obtained records pointed to faulty work at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In a court filing Friday, prosecutors said documents from the Department of the Interior showed the pool liner had repeated installation failures, extensive peeling and a rushed renovation timeline tied to the America 250 celebration on July 4. The filing said the new material undercut the evidentiary basis for the indictment brought earlier this month in Washington. Hearn had pleaded not guilty after being accused of ripping up parts of the pool floor. The dismissal is without prejudice, meaning the charge could be filed again.