Judge cites Trump’s threats in permanent dismissal of Reflecting Pool damage charges against Olympian

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A federal judge on Thursday dismissed charges against David Hearn , the former US Olympian initially accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool at the Lincoln Memorial with prejudice, citing President Donald Trump’s comments to ensure charges cannot be brought in the future.

The judge found Hearn faced threats of a meritless reprisal of the case through pressure from Trump, who has downplayed documentation showing damage was caused during renovations.

“In securing the Indictment against Mr. Hearn, the government shot first and asked questions later,” Judge Todd Edelman wrote. “Nothing about the grand jury process would prevent it from giving in to the President’s pressure and doing so again.”

The Justice Department moved to drop the case after the new evidence about the damage was discovered, but did not want to give up the option to charge the case again if new evidence came to light.

“While the government wishes to hold open the possibility of the development of evidence that would support a future prosecution,” Edelman wrote, “its own representations make plain that such a possibility is theoretical at best, and more likely, is simply fanciful.” The judge noted how Trump has already publicly ridiculed the decision by DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office to dismiss the charges and “publicly entertained the possibility of firing (Pirro) as a result of the dismissal.”

Edelman also criticized prosecutors for ever bringing the case forward, arguing that the government abdicated its role in the process, pointing again to pressure from Trump.

Representatives of Hearn said in a statement on Thursday that the decision “is a victory for the rule of law and for an innocent American seeking justice.”

CNN has reached out to Pirro’s office for comment.

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周四，一名联邦法官驳回了对前美国奥运选手大卫·赫恩的指控，赫恩最初被指控破坏了林肯纪念堂的倒影池。法官援引唐纳德·特朗普总统的言论，以确保未来不会再提起诉讼。

法官认为，赫恩面临着来自特朗普的压力，特朗普淡化了证明装修期间造成损害的文件，并威胁要对该案进行毫无根据的报复。

“在对赫恩先生提起诉讼的过程中，政府先发制人，后提问，”托德·埃德尔曼法官写道。“大陪审团的程序并不能阻止政府屈服于总统的压力，再次这样做。”

在发现有关损害的新证据后，司法部决定撤销此案，但又不愿放弃在出现新证据时再次提起诉讼的权利。

埃德尔曼法官写道：“虽然政府希望保留未来可能出现支持起诉的证据的可能性，但其自身表态清楚地表明，这种可能性充其量只是理论上的，更有可能的是，这纯粹是异想天开。”法官指出，特朗普已经公开嘲讽了哥伦比亚特区联邦检察官珍妮·皮罗办公室撤销指控的决定，并且“公开表示过可能因此解雇皮罗”。

埃德尔曼还批评检察官不该提起诉讼，认为政府在此过程中放弃了自己的职责，并再次指出这是来自特朗普的压力。

赫恩的代表周四在一份声明中表示，该决定“是法治的胜利，也是寻求正义的无辜美国人的胜利”。

CNN已联系皮罗的办公室寻求置评。