Federal prosecutors can never revive a felony charge against former Olympian David Hearn over alleged vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a judge in Washington ruled Thursday. Judge Todd E. Edelman of the Superior Court agreed with Mr. Hearn’s lawyers that the case should be dismissed with prejudice, barring future prosecution.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro had already dropped the charges on July 31, admitting damage was due to botched renovations, not sabotage. But President Trump complained on social media, saying she “made a mistake” and “choked” because “the judge was really vicious.” Those comments prompted Mr. Hearn’s lawyers to file a motion to ensure the charge couldn’t be revived.
Judge Edelman wrote that Mr. Hearn faces “the unique possibility that the government will revive this case—one that it has already announced to be meritless—based on political pressure brought by the president of the United States upon his subordinate officers.” He added that the government “shot first and asked questions later.”
Mr. Hearn’s lawyers, Norm Eisen, Mary Dohrmann, and Steve Levin, called the ruling “a victory for the rule of law.” Authorities arrested seven people in June, but only Mr. Hearn was indicted on a felony. Six misdemeanor charges were dropped. Contractors told the Interior Department that design flaws and installation errors caused the problems.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing