Former Olympian charged in Reflecting Pool incident
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced that former Olympian David Hearn was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury following his arrest last month at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, DC.
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Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty Thursday to deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial’s newly renovated reflecting pool.
Hearn, 67, pleaded guilty through one of his attorneys during his initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court.
Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean did not require Hearn to be supervised by the court while he awaits trial. A status hearing is scheduled for August 5.
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David Hearn of the United States competes in the men’s whitewater canoeing C1 final of the 2000 Summer Olympics at Penrith Whitewater Stadium. Penrith, Australia, September 18, 2000. (David Madison/Getty Images)
Hearn was formally charged last week with felony destruction of property following his arrest in connection with the June 19 incident. Hearn denied damaging the pool and said he stopped while cycling and touched a loose piece of the blue coating that was peeling off “to satisfy my curiosity as a citizen.”
Prosecutor Kevin Reddington said the government was not seeking any judicial supervision for Hearn, but simply a “restraining order,” without specifying in court where it wanted to keep Hearn away.
Mary Dohrmann, one of Hearn’s attorneys, urged the judge not to impose any conditions of judicial supervision, calling Hearn an “upstanding citizen and member of the community.”
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David Hearn of the United States competes in the men’s whitewater canoeing C1 final of the 2000 Summer Olympics at Penrith Whitewater Stadium. Penrith, Australia, September 18, 2000. (David Madison/Getty Images)
Dohrmann also said that “the government’s evidence is weak.”
The Reflecting Pool recently underwent a $14 million rehabilitation project during the Trump presidency. Hearn’s accusation came after several people were arrested or cited for allegedly damaging the reflecting pool.
Video of Hearn’s arrest went viral on X after it was captured by journalist Emily Miller. Miller accused the former Olympian of grabbing a hose that National Park Service workers were using to remove algae.
Hearn denied the allegation but admitted his bicycle tire could have hit the hose.
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David Hearn of the United States performs during the Olympic Slalom trials. May 16, 1992. (Doug Pensinger/All Sports)
“I didn’t destroy anything,” Hearn told the Washington Post. “When I realized what was happening, they were handcuffing me.”
Records show Hearn has links to a major left-wing fundraising network.
Hearn represented the United States at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
