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Trump administration drops Reflecting Pool vandalism charge and admits 'botched' repairs
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US prosecutors have dropped charges against a former Olympian who had been accused of vandalising the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, saying the damage is now believed to be "the result of flawed installation by the contractor".
A court document filed on Friday said new information "strongly suggests that a rushed and botched installation" job overseen by the US Department of the Interior led to the damage.
On Saturday, President Donald Trump conceded "there may have been some contractor difficulty" but reiterated his claim that the "major damage" was caused by vandals.
David Hearn, a champion canoeist, had been facing a 10-year prison sentence if found guilty after his arrest last month.