US authorities have dropped the case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn after an investigation found that damage to the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington was most likely caused by renovation errors rather than vandalism.
The Reflecting Pool was recently renovated at a cost of millions of dollars ahead of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of US independence.
Soon after the work was completed, however, blue paint began peeling from the bottom of the pool and the water turned green again with algae. President Donald Trump blamed “vandals”, and 67-year-old Hearn was charged with tearing away part of the lining.
Documents from the Department of the Interior now show that several mistakes were made when the sealing material was applied. During the renovation itself, the lining had already come loose in several places.
According to the documents, the damage may have been caused by “faulty installation by the contractor” and by “the rush to complete the project” before the independence celebrations began.
Hearn had always denied responsibility for the damage. His lawyers said the Trump administration’s case should never have been brought and called for an apology.
“Today’s dismissal does not erase the government’s abuse of power in the arrest and prosecution of a patriotic American,” they said.
