Federal prosecutors have dropped charges against three more people tied to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, extending a reversal that began with the dismissal of the case against David Hearn.
According to the case update, prosecutors now say the damage was caused by a botched installation rather than vandalism. That shift undercuts the basis for pursuing criminal cases against people who had been accused in connection with the site.
The new dismissals suggest the government's earlier account of what happened at the Reflecting Pool has weakened significantly. After Hearn's case was dropped, the decision quickly raised questions about whether other prosecutions linked to the same damage could still stand.
The move also carries political weight because the case had been cited by President Trump as part of a broader argument about the condition of public spaces in Washington. With prosecutors backing away from more charges, that argument faces added scrutiny as the legal case continues to unravel.
