Judge orders release of woman accused of WWII Memorial vandalism

A Kentucky woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial on the National Mall was released from custody Monday but ordered to stay away from the national monument, according to court documents.

Melissa L. Farris, 41, was charged with depredation against property of the United States and destruction of veterans' memorials after prosecutors say she defaced the memorial with graffiti last Thursday. The felony counts carry a maximum of 10 years in prison.

The judge released Farris on a personal recognizance bond on the condition that she surrender her passport, not leave the country and stay away from the veterans' memorial.

In a motion filed shortly after the hearing, prosecutors with the U.S. attorney's office in D.C. asked the judge to reconsider.

"Defendant's actions, as well as her history and characteristics, demonstrate that she presents a serious risk of flight and non-compliance with release conditions that requires her detention pending trial," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro wrote.

"Defendant was defiant and outspoken before, during, and immediately after committing her crimes," she continued. "Her attitude only changed after she did not receive the attention she so desperately craved, demonstrating that any expressed remorse is insincere."

The words "Clean hands Dirty $" were found in neon-orange spray paint on the inside of the memorial's Atlantic Theatre Pavilion on Aug. 13, with additional pink and green graffiti seen on the walls and ground. A U.S. park ranger also observed foam in the fountain, according to a criminal complaint.

The complaint alleges that Farris admitted to the damage in several videos posted on her social media accounts and had livestreamed herself during an earlier arrest.

"I am going to make these choices today and I will step foot into the courtroom, and I will wait to be arrested. ... I am accountable for the things that I do and the choices that I make, and our government needs to be accountable," Farris said in a livestreamed video prior to the vandalism incident, according to prosecutors.

A preliminary hearing has been set for Sept. 3.

President Trump has criticized Pirro's handling of alleged vandalism at National Mall sites, lashing out repeatedly over her decision to drop charges against a former Olympian and three others he claimed were to blame for damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Pirro's office moved to dismiss the cases after determining that a flawed and rushed contractor installation was likely responsible for the damage, not vandals.