Ripple effects: Three people have Reflecting Pool charges dropped after Hearn request
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charges → have → request
The federal government dropped charges against three individuals in connection with damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, further weakening President Trump's argument that it was the work of vandals.
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it → drop → vandals
Federal prosecutors moved to drop 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.
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he → move → lining
A judge could rule on that motion at a hearing scheduled for Thursday, Hearn's lawyers say.
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lawyers → rule → Thursday
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."
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it → write → doubt
Instead, it blamed a "botched installation" by President Trump's hand-picked contractor.
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it → blame → 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.
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prosecutors → confirm → charges
The identical one-page motions did not explain the federal government's reasoning.
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motions → explain → 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.
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Dale → read → individuals
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.
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which → indict → Washington
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.
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he → plead → 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.
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Dale → charge → manner
"And from the pleading the government filed, their own experts and even the Department of the Interior have concluded that no one damaged the reflecting pool.
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one → file → pool
It was improperly installed.
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It → instal → ?
U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro asked for Hearn's case to be dismissed in a 20-page motion on Friday, which the judge granted.
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judge → ask → which
In it, she blamed the Department of the Interior for only recently releasing key evidence, after the grand jury proceedings and following "dozens and dozens" of requests by her office.
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she → blame → office
Those documents, Pirro wrote, indicate that damage was not the result of vandalism but the "flawed installation by the contractor … and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026."
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damage → write → Day
Based on the Department of the Interior's documentation, Pirro said factors including rain, wind and delays in obtaining the sealing product "led to hasty and botched work" that was not corrected before the pool was refilled in early June.
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pool → base → June
Within days, algae turned the water green and pieces of the new "American flag blue" lining were seen floating to the surface.
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pieces → turn → surface
President Trump was quick to contradict Pirro on social media, writing on Truth Social on Saturday: "There may have been some contractor difficulty, but the major damage was caused by VANDALS!"
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damage → contradict → VANDALS
Trump doubled down in his criticisms on Monday, telling reporters in the Oval Office that he was "really disappointed" with Pirro.
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he → double → Pirro
"She folded like an umbrella, and people get away with things and it's a disgrace," Trump said.
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Trump → fold → things
He rebuked, but did not answer, a reporter's question about whether he was reconsidering Pirro's role.
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he → rebuke → role
He appointed her to the position in 2025.
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He → appoint → 2025
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has also pushed back against Pirro's assessment of the damage, as well as her accusations about his department.
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Burgum → push → department
On Sunday, he wrote on X that the Department of the Interior had provided the U.S. Attorney's office with all the requested evidence, as well as "expert and eyewitness testimony to the damage done by vandals."
Hearn's case has been a particularly visible referendum on the Trump administration, prompting supportive rallies outside the courtroom and extensive debates on social media.
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case → write → media
But he wasn't the only person arrested over the peeling paint.
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he → arrest → paint
President Trump said in late June that "six people have been arrested, and seven people have been cited" for damaging the pool, which had to be drained again after the Fourth of July.
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which → say → July
Only three of those people, plus Hearn, have been publicly named in court cases and media reports.
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three → name → cases
Misdemeanor charges for three people dropped
The other individuals involved in vandalism cases haven't spoken out publicly.
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individuals → drop → cases
But, with their cases now dismissed, their lawyers are starting to paint a picture of the toll the last few months have taken.
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months → dismiss → toll
Attorney Mark Zaid wrote on X that his client, Justin Carreno, "lost two jobs due to this frivolous arrest."
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client → write → arrest
According to court filings, Carreno was handcuffed and arrested on June 20 after law enforcement saw him "reach down into the reflecting pool and pull up a piece of the blue paint."
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him → accord → paint
He subsequently pleaded not guilty to a single charge of destruction of property less than $1,000.
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He → plead → property
His case was dropped on Friday, court records show.
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records → drop → Friday
"At minimum, he is entitled to [sic] public apology," Zaid wrote later that day.
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Zaid → entitle → apology
Jamison Koehler told NPR that his client, Dr. Sophie Dennison-Gibby, is a D.C.-area veterinarian who was "worried about wildlife."
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who → tell → wildlife
She was also arrested on June 20, after officers saw her pick up two small pieces of the reflecting pool liner that were floating in the pool, according to Koehler.
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that → arrest → Koehler
But he said she had picked up litter, too.
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she → say → litter
"Of course, the government doesn't mention the fact that in addition to finding the pieces of the reflecting pool in her purse, they also found trash," he said. "Because the trash didn't fit with their narrative."
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trash → mention → narrative
…and 13 more, not listed.
The Aporia
