The U.S. Department of Justice moved on Friday to drop its criminal case against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been accused of destroying the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In a 20-page court filing, federal prosecutors acknowledged that the damage was not the result of criminal activity, but rather a "flawed installation" by the contractor involved in the project.

According to the filing, the deterioration of the pool was exacerbated by a "rush to complete the project" ahead of the America 250 celebration events surrounding Independence Day. The U.S. Attorney’s office noted that overspraying and delamination were the primary technical causes of the damage. While the initial indictment suggested deliberate destruction, the government’s reversal indicates that the evidence provided after the initial charges were filed shifted the understanding of how the damage occurred.

The Hill and the South China Morning Post (SCMP) both report that the case is being dismissed, though they emphasize different aspects of the government's explanation. The Hill focuses on the technical failure of the installation, while SCMP highlights the pressure to finish the project in time for national celebrations as a contributing factor to the oversight.