A D.C. judge has permanently blocked Department of Justice prosecutors from bringing back the criminal case against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn over alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Judge Todd E. Edelman dismissed the case with prejudice on Oct. 1, meaning prosecutors cannot simply revive the charges against Hearn in the future. The decision closes the door on a case that had already been dropped by federal prosecutors after new evidence indicated that problems with the pool were linked to a flawed installation rather than the vandalism initially alleged.
