The federal government dropped charges against three more individuals in connection with damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, further weakening President Trump's argument that it was the work of vandals.Federal prosecutors dropped the vandalism case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn on Friday, abruptly changing course after arguing for months that he had taken a piece of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool's new $14 million lining.The U.S.Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.
wrote that given newly released evidence from the Department of the Interior, "it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt." Instead, it blamed a "botched installation" by President Trump's hand-picked contractor.As of Monday, NPR has confirmed — with lawyers and court filings — that prosecutors subsequently dropped their cases against the three individuals facing misdemeanor charges.The identical one-page motions did not explain the federal government's reasoning."Anyone who's read the pleading that was filed in Mr.
Hearn's case would understand exactly why they would have to dismiss against the remainder of those charged," said G.Allen Dale, an attorney representing one of the individuals, Cameron Thiers.Hearn, a 67-year-old Maryland resident, was the only person indicted by a grand jury over damage to the reflecting pool, which has become a political flashpoint for the Trump administration's efforts to reshape Washington, D.C.
He pleaded not guilty last month to a single count of destruction of property causing more than $1,000 in damage, maintaining he simply touched a loose piece out of curiosity."What the cases have in common is that they're all charged with destroying the reflecting pool, which the federal government has just paid millions and millions of dollars to have painted and restored in some manner," Dale said."And from the pleading the go...