Judge frees Chinese woman who splattered green paint on Washington landmarks
PUBLISHED : Wednesday, 07 January, 2015, 10:45am
UPDATED : Wednesday, 07 January, 2015, 12:13pm
Agence France-Presse
In this July 26, 2013, file photo, green paint is shown splattered on the base of the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Jiamei Tian was suspected of having carried out the vandalism. Photo: AP
In this July 26, 2013, file photo, green paint is shown splattered on the base of the statue of Abraham Lincoln at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington. Jiamei Tian was suspected of having carried out the vandalism. Photo: AP
A judge dismissed a felony case against a Chinese national accused of splattering green paint on landmarks in the US capital after he deemed she was incompetent to stand trial.
Jiamei Tian, 58, was arrested in July 2013 at Washington National Cathedral soon after green paint was found splattered in its Children’s Chapel and on an organ.
She was charged with one count of defacing property, amid suspicion that she was also involved in similar acts of vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial and the Smithsonian Castle.
Workers clean green paint from the organ in the Bethlehem Chapel at the National Cathedral. Photo: AFP
Tian, who prosecutors said was in the United States on an expired visa, homeless and sleeping in a park, underwent psychiatric evaluation in hospital as she awaited trial.
DC Superior Court Judge John McCabe dismissed the charge against her on Tuesday, and ordered her release from hospital, after locals officials opted not to commit her to a psychiatric facility.
“Take good care of yourself,” he told Tian as she exited his court room, the Washington Post reported.
Last month, as it appeared that she would not be found competent to stand trial, Tian’s lawyers requested extra time in order for future living arrangements to be arranged.
A National Park Service employee uses a pressure hose to help clean green paint. Photo: Reuters
