The U.S. Justice Department has moved to dismiss a felony indictment against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The government said Friday that the damage was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, not deliberate vandalism.
Hearn had been charged with ripping a piece of sealant from the pool after a $14 million renovation. He repeatedly said he only touched the water out of curiosity.
The dismissal ends the criminal case against Hearn, who faced a felony charge. The Justice Department's statement pointed to the contractor's faulty work as the cause of the damage.