US drops Olympian David Hearn case over Lincoln Pool damage
What's new: Prosecutors said new Interior Department records pointed to flawed installation, making a conviction hard to prove.
Federal prosecutors moved to dismiss the felony vandalism case against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn after new records indicated the damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool came from faulty renovation work, not vandalism. Hearn, 67, had pleaded not guilty to one count of destruction of property causing more than $1,000 in damage after authorities accused him of tugging at a loose section of sealant on June 19 in Washington. In a Friday filing, the U.S. Attorney's Office for D.C. said the Department of the Interior provided additional documents only after Hearn was indicted, showing flawed installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings and a rush to finish before America 250 events around Independence Day.