DC judge blocks Trump’s demands to continue Reflecting Pool case against Olympic canoeist, even as new evidence called him innocent

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.

According to recent court reporting, the case became even more unusual after President Donald Trump publicly criticized the decision to drop the charges and called for the prosecution to continue. Hearn’s lawyers argued that those comments created a risk that prosecutors could eventually revive the case because of political pressure.

The cause of the damage was a “botched installation”

The dispute began in June 2026, when Hearn, a 67-year-old former Olympic canoeist, was arrested after he was accused of damaging part of the recently renovated Reflecting Pool.

Federal prosecutors later indicted Hearn on a felony charge, alleging that he caused more than $1,000 in damage to the pool’s coating. Hearn pleaded not guilty and maintained that he had only touched a loose section of the material while visiting the landmark during a long bike ride.

The case began to unravel after prosecutors and defense experts inspected the pool. Federal prosecutors eventually acknowledged that information about the condition of the pool had changed their understanding of what happened.

In August, the U.S. Attorney’s Office moved to dismiss the indictment, saying new information showed that the damage was caused by a “botched installation” rather than Hearn’s actions. Prosecutors nevertheless wanted the dismissal to leave open the possibility of bringing the case again if new evidence emerged.

That possibility became the focus of Hearn’s legal team. His attorneys argued that allowing the government to keep the door open would expose him to the possibility of another prosecution, particularly after Trump had publicly criticized the decision to abandon the case.

Edelman ultimately sided with Hearn and dismissed the case with prejudice.

In his ruling, the judge addressed the unusual circumstances surrounding the prosecution and the public pressure to revive it. He wrote that Hearn faced the possibility of the government reviving a case that prosecutors had already determined lacked merit because of political pressure from the president.

The ruling means the government cannot simply refile the same charges against Hearn

The case has also raised questions about the rushed renovation of the iconic Washington landmark. The Reflecting Pool underwent extensive work ahead of the America 250 celebrations, with officials later discovering significant problems with the new coating.

Hearn’s attorneys welcomed Edelman’s decision, describing it as an important victory for due process and the rule of law. Prosecutors, meanwhile, had maintained that their original case was brought in good faith, even after later evidence undermined the vandalism allegation.

For Hearn, the latest ruling brings an end to a months-long legal ordeal that began with an accusation of vandalism and ended with a judge permanently preventing prosecutors from bringing the case back.