Attorneys for former Olympian David Hearn have asserted that President Donald Trump continues to promote an inaccurate account of the Reflecting Pool vandalism case, a narrative they argue supports their bid to prevent any re-filing of charges. The legal team filed a petition with the D.C. Superior Court on Friday, seeking a dismissal of the case "with prejudice."
The filing contends that recent public statements by Trump regarding the case, which was initially classified as vandalism by federal prosecutors before being acknowledged as stemming from "flawed installation by the contractor," constitute political pressure. Hearn's lawyers stated in the document that the "record in this case demonstrates a substantial and specific risk that, if the indictment is dismissed without prejudice, Mr. Hearn will face renewed charges, however meritless, driven by political pressure rather than the evidence."
The attorneys directly reference multiple social media posts and public comments made by Trump following the D.C. U.S. Attorney's Office's decision to drop the charges. Despite acknowledging a "contractor error" related to the expedited completion for a July 4th opening, Trump maintained that vandalism occurred and that the prosecutor's decision to drop the case was a "mistake."
The legal team argues that Trump's persistent promotion of a "false version" of events, suggesting damage occurred after the prosecutor's conclusion, amounts to harassment that jeopardizes their client's liberty. The filing asserts that "The public political pressure campaign being conducted through the Executive Branch in this case shows that the government cannot be trusted to properly exercise its prosecutorial discretion."
A hearing is scheduled for September 4, at which time a judge will hear arguments on Hearn's request for dismissal. The Reflecting Pool project itself involved construction crews working on repairs and upgrades, with some work being accelerated for public viewing periods.