WASHINGTON — A District of Columbia Superior Court judge Tuesday dismissed a case against a Chinese woman who was arrested in 2013 for allegedly splattering green paint on various D.C. landmarks, determining the woman was incompetent to stand trial.
In July 2013, Jiamei Tian, 58, was charged with one count of defacing property after the paint was found spattered on Washington National Cathedral. She was suspected in similar incidents at the Lincoln Memorial, a statue next to the Smithsonian Castle, the Luther Place Memorial Church and a statue of Martin Luther in Thomas Circle.
A month after her arrest, Tian was ordered to St. Elizabeths Hospital, the city’s psychiatric facility. After various examinations in 2013 and 2014, D.C. psychiatrists determined Tian was incompetent and would not regain competency.
In November, judge John McCabe accepted the psychiatrists’ ruling and found Tian incompetent. A month later, the District’s Department of Mental Health and the Office of the Attorney General declined to order Tian committed to St. Elizabeths under in-patient or out-patient care.
Prosecutors said Tian was in the United States from China on an expired visa. At the time of her arrest, she was living in a D.C. park.
At Tuesday’s hearing, McCabe ordered Tian released from the hospital. That decision was expected because Tian’s public defenders last month requested additional time to make arrangements for their client upon her expected release. After the hearing, Tian’s attorneys declined to comment on the specifics of those arrangements.
Prosecutors within the U.S. attorney’s office who handled the case said they were “disappointed” in the District’s decision not to order Tian committed. “We don’t have any control to say otherwise,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Connolly said.
Tian, who was brought to court Tuesday from the hospital, stood next to her attorneys and a Mandarin interpreter. McCabe said, “Good morning,” and Tian responded with “Good morning” in English. When the judge asked how she was doing, the interpreter relayed Tian’s response, “I’m slugging along.” After he dismissed the case, McCabe made one final comment to Tian. “Take good care of yourself.” Tian nodded and smiled as she was escorted out of the courtroom by U.S. marshals.