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Judge orders release of suspect accused of vandalizing World War II Memorial

Washington Examiner · back to the audit

A judge on Monday ordered the release of the woman accused of vandalizing the World War II Memorial on Washington, D.C.'s National Mall.

Melissa Farris was arrested after appearing to livestream herself on Aug. 13 vandalizing the monument, sparking outcry from President Donald Trump and leading U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro to press charges against the woman. Pink and green graffiti was splattered in the area, "Clean hands Dirty $" was written in spray paint on the inside of the memorial's Atlantic Theatre Pavilion, and the monument's fountain was tampered with bubbly soap.

This week, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled Farris must be released from prison, ahead of a preliminary hearing in the case set for Sept. 3. U.S. Magistrate Judge Matthew J. Sharbaugh ordered Farris to stay away from the World War II memorial and out of Washington, D.C. His order also restricted her ability to travel outside the country, ordering her to surrender passports and submit to supervision through the Pretrial Services Agency for the Northern District of Ohio no later than Aug. 20. Farris is heading to Ohio to stay with her daughter, according to officials.