A Superior Court judge in the District of Columbia has permanently barred U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office from bringing charges against David "Davey" Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, regarding damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Judge Todd Edelman issued an order on Thursday that dismissed the case with prejudice, citing "exceptional circumstances" and stating that the government's representations indicate that further prosecution is unlikely.
Edelman noted that former President Donald Trump had criticized the decision to drop the case, demanding the government reinstate the prosecution due to Hearn's political activities and the involvement of one of his attorneys, Norm Eisen, who is a known critic of Trump. The judge expressed concern that Hearn could face renewed charges based on political pressure rather than legal merit, stating that the government should not retain the ability to compound previous errors at Hearn's expense.
Eisen and Hearn’s legal team described the ruling as a victory for the rule of law, asserting that the case should not have been pursued initially. They characterized the prosecution as a miscarriage of justice.
Pirro’s office had previously dropped the case in late July after evidence indicated that the area was already damaged, and Hearn’s team sought to prevent any further prosecution in August. During a recent court hearing, Edelman questioned the feasibility of any future prosecution given the evidence presented.
Pirro’s office did not respond to requests for comment regarding the ruling.