The lawyers for two Canadian men accused of desecrating an American flag in Southern California following last year's winter Olympics ice hockey final said Tuesday they expect the charges to be dropped, news agency Postmedia News reported.
According to the lawyers, a deal is being arranged that would see the men provide a written apology and replace the flag that was destroyed.
“It is anticipated the case will be dismissed,” Susanne Cho, one of the men’s lawyers said.
“It was obviously a prank, a joke. It was not meant to offend anyone.”
According to court documents, 26-year-olds Matthew Seifert and Ryan Smith had made a bet with patrons of the Beer Hunter Sports Pub and Grill in La Quinta, Calif. -- where they had been drinking heavily while watching the gold medal game on February 28 -- that they would swap a US flag with a Canadian one at the top of a nearby mountain known as Point Happy if the Americans lost.
After the game, which Canada won 3-2, they climbed up the mountain and replaced the flag, but the American flag was found torn up and left in a pile with a rock on top of it, according to authorities.
The US flag was placed up there to commemorate victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the flag's owner said.
But according to the men's lawyers, wind caused the damage to the flag, and both men pleaded not guilty to charges of vandalism and public trampling or mutilation of a flag.
“This should never have been filed,” said Denise Shaw, the other defense lawyer in the case. “This was celebrating a victory.”
The court hearing scheduled for Tuesday was moved to January 18.
