Judge Says Trump Pressure Could Kill Reflecting Pool Case for Good

Q: Will the judge permanently close the Olympian's case, or leave the door open for future charges despite the lack of evidence?

It is still undecided, but the judge’s questions suggest he is seriously considering closing the case permanently. Judge Todd Edelman has already dismissed the indictment itself and is now deciding whether that dismissal should be with prejudice, which would bar any future refiled charge, or without prejudice, which would leave the door open. He has not ruled yet and said he would act quickly. What matters is that prosecutors now say they have no evidence that David Hearn vandalized the Reflecting Pool. They told the court the damage appears tied to a rushed, flawed installation, not criminal destruction, and acknowledged there is no current investigation and no proven economic damage attributable to Hearn. Edelman repeatedly pressed the government on why it wanted to preserve the option of refiling when it says the case lacks evidentiary support. That puts pressure on the Justice Department’s request for a dismissal without prejudice. Prosecutors argue future evidence could emerge and that a grand jury would screen any renewed case. Hearn’s lawyers counter that there is no factual basis left to revive the prosecution and that fairness requires finality. Based on the hearing, the judge appears skeptical of leaving the case hanging over Hearn without a present evidentiary basis. But until Edelman issues a written order, the legal answer is that the case is dismissed for now, while the final question—permanent closure or possible refiling—remains unresolved.

3 articles · Updated · abcnews.com · Sep 5

Judge Todd Edelman signaled he may dismiss the Reflecting Pool case with prejudice, potentially barring any future charges against former Olympian David Hearn.
At Friday's hearing, Edelman pressed prosecutors on why they wanted dismissal without prejudice after conceding the pool damage stemmed from flawed installation, not vandalism.
Michael Spence, representing the D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office, said prosecutors are not investigating Hearn now but resisted closing the door in case unknown evidence later emerges.
Edelman focused on Trump's Aug. 7 demand that U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro revisit the dismissal and his suggestion she could be fired, calling it a unique push for a meritless re-prosecution.
The dispute now centers on whether presidential pressure and a conceded baseless indictment justify permanently ending the case rather than merely dropping it for now.

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abcnews.com12h ago

Judge Edelman: Trump's Pressure Could Permanently End Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case

NPR12h ago

David Hearn says Reflecting Pool case isn't over : NPR

Yahoo! Voices15h ago

Judge indicates Trump pressure campaign could permanently sink Reflecting Pool case

Will the judge permanently close the Olympian's case, or leave the door open for future charges despite the lack of evidence?

How did a rushed fourteen million dollar installation fail so spectacularly that the resulting structural damage was mistaken for deliberate vandalism?