The Guardian · US news · Original story
Justice department moves to dismiss its charges against Olympian over reflecting pool
Lawyers now say damage to pool liner attributed to David Hearn instead is result of installation by contractor
The justice department has moved to dismiss a criminal case charging former Olympian David Hearn with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial‘ reflecting pool, instead blaming damage to the pool liner as “the result of flawed installation by the contractor”.
Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing in DC superior court on Friday evening that they had received information about a “rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026”.
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Edward Helmore · Fri, Jul 31, 2026, 4:13 PM
US news | The Guardian
Lawyers now say damage to pool liner attributed to David Hearn instead is result of installation by contractor
The justice department has moved to dismiss a criminal case charging former Olympian David Hearn with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial‘ reflecting pool, instead blaming damage to the pool liner as “the result of flawed installation by the contractor”.
Government lawyers said in a 20-page court filing in DC superior court on Friday evening that they had received information about a “rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026”.
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