Washington DC - A homeless woman facing felony charges for allegedly vandalizing the World War II Memorial fountain has been ordered to be released from custody, much to the chagrin of US Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
According to Politico, Magistrate Judge Matthew Sharbaugh on Monday ordered Melissa Farris (41) to be released, rejecting a request made by Pirro's office that she remain in jail as she poses an "exceptionally high risk of flight."
Farris was released after agreeing to surrender her passport, and not to leave the US without the court's permission.
Only a few hours after the judge's order, Pirro's office filed a 30-page appeal urging Chief US District Judge James Boasberg to overrule the decision.
Farris is facing charges for spray-painting "Clean hands dirty $" on a balcony of the memorial and putting foam bubbling in the fountain.
The woman, who regularly posts videos on social media, had livestreamed the act, and later turned herself in at a federal courthouse in Alexandria, Virginia.
Pirro's handling of the Farris case comes after President Donald Trump publicly criticized her for dropping a case against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Though Trump repeatedly claimed Hearn maliciously vandalized the pool, Pirro's office concluded the damage was due to a "botched" repair job by a company the president had contracted to renovate it.
Though vandalism cases are typically ignored by federal attorneys and felonies are usually reduced to misdemeanors, Pirro has vowed to push for the maximum penalties against Farris, arguing her crime is personal.