Ex-Olympian David Hearn Pleads Not Guilty in Reflecting Pool Vandalism Case

Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn is seeking the permanent closure of a legal case involving allegations that he damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to NPR. Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoeist, previously pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of destruction of property in D.C. Superior Court.

Hearn told NPR that his experience with the legal proceedings has been "Orwellian" and "Kafkaesque." He was indicted by a grand jury on July 2, after prosecutors alleged he ripped up a portion of the pool’s bottom liner, according to The Hill.

Felony Charges and Court Proceedings

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro alleged during a July press conference that Hearn "forcefully and violently" damaged two square feet of sealant on the bottom of the 2,082-foot pool, causing more than $1,000 in damage, according to The Hill. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, CNN reported.

Hearn appeared before Judge Carmen McLean for his arraignment and was released on a personal recognizance bond, according to The Hill. While his attorneys invoked the right to a speedy trial, Judge McLean stated the court’s calendar prevented a trial until February 2027, according to CNN.

Hearn has denied the vandalism allegations. He told The Washington Post shortly after his arrest that he "didn't vandalize anything" and was already in handcuffs by the time he "realized what was going on," according to The Hill.

Dispute Over Reflecting Pool Maintenance

The prosecution follows a $14.2 million remodel of the pool completed in the first week of June. The project included repainting the bottom "American flag blue," a color selected by the president, according to The Hill.

Days after the renovation ended, the site experienced peeling paint and green algae blooms, according to CNN. The Trump administration attributed these issues to vandals, alleging that fertilizer had been poured into the water and a 300-plus-foot slit had been cut into the lining, according to The Hill.

Attorneys for Hearn, Norm Eisen and Mary Dohrmann, argued that the prosecution was an attempt to "provide political cover" for a botched renovation rushed to meet a July 4 deadline, according to The Hill. Dohrmann stated during the hearing that the government’s evidence is "weak," according to CNN.

Broader Pattern of Arrests and Citations

Hearn is one of at least half a dozen individuals accused of vandalizing the pool, according to The Hill. While Hearn faces a felony charge due to the alleged amount of damage exceeding $1,000, three other individuals pleaded not guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor charges because their alleged damage was under that threshold, according to CNN.

Court records cited by CNN indicate that police found one suspect holding a piece of blue sealant in their hand and another with a piece in her purse. The Interior Department has also issued at least seven citations related to the site, according to The Hill.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced that crews began draining the pool over the weekend to perform repairs for the second time in three months, according to CNN.

Public and Political Reaction

Supporters of Hearn gathered outside the D.C. Superior Court, some carrying signs calling the landmark a "deflecting pool" and criticizing the president’s motorcade for driving across the basin during renovations, according to The Hill.

Norm Eisen told reporters that if touching the pool could result in a felony charge, "every American is at risk," according to The Hill. Rep. Jamie Raskin, a Democrat representing Hearn’s district in Maryland, issued a statement asserting that Hearn "would never" vandalize the monument, according to CNN.