Three-time U.S. Olympian David Hearn pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday morning to a felony charge of property destruction. Federal prosecutors accuse Hearn of deliberately tearing up protective sealant from the newly remodeled Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, causing more than $1,000 in damage during a June 19 incident. Hearn, a 67-year-old resident of Bethesda, Maryland, entered the plea through his legal representation during his initial court appearance.
Federal prosecutors contend Hearn, who stopped at the landmark during a 64-mile bicycle ride, deliberately pulled up a section of the blue sealant installed as part of the Reflecting Pool’s multimillion-dollar renovation. According to District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, National Park Service employees observed Hearn “forcefully and violently” ripping away roughly two square feet of the pool’s freshly installed epoxy liner with both hands. Law enforcement authorities arrested Hearn later that day following an alleged verbal dispute with a park worker. If convicted of the single felony count, Hearn could face up to 10 years in prison for causing more than $1,000 in property damage.
Hearn and his defense team have vehemently denied the government’s narrative, characterizing the interaction as an innocent act of civic interest. The athlete previously explained that he merely noticed a piece of the pool’s coating already floating loose and reached into the water to see what it felt like, obeying orders to let go as soon as a park worker intervened. Standing outside the courthouse on Thursday, defense attorney Norm Eisen told a crowd of vocal supporters that the administration was attempting to use his client as a “scapegoat … for their own failures.” Defense lawyer Mary Dohrmann added during the proceedings that “the government’s evidence is weak,” pushing back against a prosecutorial request to bar Hearn from visiting the site. Associate Judge Carmen McLean ordered Hearn released on his own recognizance without imposing any travel restrictions or supervision conditions.
The arrest has intensified political scrutiny surrounding a troubled $16 million renovation project aimed at restoring the landmark. President Trump has repeatedly blamed coordinated acts of vandalism for the immediate appearance of severe algae blooms and peeling paint across the pool floor. However, critics of the administration argue that the multi-million-dollar project was rushed and poorly executed, pointing to statements from Interior Secretary Doug Burgum indicating that the algae problems originated within the local plumbing infrastructure.
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