Key facts
- Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of property destruction.
- The charge relates to alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
- Hearn is accused of causing over $1,000 in damage.
- The pool's renovation project has been plagued by issues, including peeling sealant.
- At least three other individuals face misdemeanor charges for alleged paint removal from the pool.
Former Olympic canoe racer David Hearn pleaded not guilty on Thursday to a felony charge of property destruction for allegedly damaging the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. The case, which Hearn's defense attorneys have called an abuse of prosecutorial power, stems from an incident on June 19.
Hearn, 67, is accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage by touching and peeling away sealant from the pool's new coating. He maintains he was examining the sealant after it had already peeled and complied with a park worker's instruction to let go of a chunk. President Donald Trump, who initiated a multimillion-dollar renovation of the pool, has alleged without evidence that vandals dumped fertilizer and used a box cutter on the liner.
At least three other individuals have pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor charges for allegedly removing paint from the pool. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro stated that vandalizing national monuments has consequences, while Hearn's attorneys argued the charges are based on a "concocted narrative" and an attempt to shift blame for the project's failures.
D.C. Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean did not impose supervision on Hearn, who was free awaiting trial, with a status hearing set for August 5. Supporters gathered outside the courthouse to cheer Hearn after the hearing. He previously told the Associated Press that he was detained by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police for five hours after stopping by the pool during a bike ride.