What new evidence undermined the vandalism indictment against the former Olympian?

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New Evidence Revealed Botched Renovation, Not Vandalism, Undermined Indictment

The United States Justice Department dropped its case against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been accused of felony vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. This decision followed the emergence of new information indicating that the damage was a result of a poorly executed renovation project, rather than deliberate destruction. Federal prosecutor Jeanine Pirro stated that these revelations "undermine the evidentiary basis for the indictment."
Botched Installation Identified as Cause of Damage

New documents presented to the court indicated that the damage to the Reflecting Pool was not caused by vandalism, as initially suggested by the Interior Department. Instead, the issues stemmed from a "botched installation" of the pool's liner. This finding directly contradicted the initial representation of events by the authorities.
Presidential Oversight and Subsequent Problems

President Donald Trump had personally overseen the renovation of the Reflecting Pool, which included the installation of a new "American flag blue" liner. The project, part of beautification efforts around the US capital, was estimated to cost at least US$14 million. However, shortly after the renovation, problems arose, including coating peeling and algae blooms that turned the water green.
Olympian's Account and Legal Team's Argument

David Hearn, a three-time Olympian in canoeing, stated that he had visited the refurbished pool and noticed a detached piece of the liner. He reached into the water to examine it, and was subsequently arrested by US Park Police. Hearn maintained that he did not vandalize anything. His legal team argued that the case should not have been brought forward, characterizing it as an "abuse of government power" and a politicized prosecution.

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What new evidence undermined the vandalism indictment against the former Olympian?

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