Key facts
- Charges against former Olympian David Hearn for vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool have been dropped.
- Prosecutors cited flawed contractor installation as the cause of the damage, not vandalism.
- Hearn's attorney stated that Hearn is considering all legal options, including civil suits and requests for sanctions.
- The charge against Hearn was a felony that could have resulted in a 10-year prison sentence.
- Hearn was arrested in June and denied the charges.
Prosecutors have dropped the felony charge against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who had been accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool. Hearn's attorney, Steven Levin, stated that his client is now considering "all options" for legal recourse, including civil suits, bar referrals for the prosecutors involved, and requests for sanctions and reimbursement of legal fees.
The charge stemmed from damage to the reflecting pool's liner, which the Trump administration initially attributed to vandalism. However, the Justice Department moved to dismiss the case, citing information that indicated a "rush to complete the project" and a "flawed installation process" by the contractor. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro noted in a court filing that documents from the Department of the Interior revealed repeated failures and extensive peeling of the liner during installation.
Hearn, 67, was arrested on June 19 and had denied the charges, which carried a potential 10-year prison sentence. His attorneys have previously asserted that the government "owes Mr Hearn an apology" and that the case represented an "abuse of government power." Hearn himself told the Associated Press that he was detained for five hours by the National Guard and US Park Police after briefly touching a part of the liner during a bike ride, maintaining that the pool's condition was unchanged by his interaction.
Attorneys for Hearn are also seeking to have the case dismissed "with prejudice," which would prevent it from being refiled. Levin indicated that once this is resolved, Hearn will focus on his next steps. Another attorney for Hearn, Norm Eisen, stated that the legal team plans to go on the offensive against the government to respond to the "miscarriage of justice."