A Washington, D.C., judge has dismissed with prejudice the charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn in the now-notorious Reflecting Pool case. That means the case is closed: Because of the administration’s abusive conduct, the charges may not be reinstated at some later time. Judge Todd E. Edelman cited President Trump’s unseemly attacks on the defendant and his counsel, and public pressure on his subordinate, District U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro, to reinstate charges she dismissed because of the dearth of evidence. (See Jeff Blehar’s excellent piece for more on the case, here.)
Hearn was charged with felony destruction of government property for allegedly vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool that the president vowed to repair before the July 4 observance of the republic’s 250th anniversary. The pool has been plagued by chronic plumbing problems, corrosion, and algae blooms since being built more than a century ago.
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