Topline
A federal grand jury indicted former Olympic canoeist David Hearn on a charge of destruction of property for allegedly damaging the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, U.S. Attorney Jeannine Pirro said at a press conference on Thursday—allegations the 67-year-old has denied.
Sealant peeling from the bottom of the Reflecting Pool on June 18, one day before Hearn’s arrest.
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Key Facts
At a press conference on Thursday, Pirro said Hearn “ripped a piece of recently installed sealant on the bottom of the Reflecting Pool,” referring to an incident earlier in June that led to his arrest and citation on misdemeanor charges.
Hearn previously told the Washington Post he was arrested after reaching into the pool and grabbing a piece of sealant already peeling, but did not remove anything.
On Thursday, Pirro said witnesses saw Hearn “forcefully and violently pulling up” the sealant with both hands, and allegedly yelling at a National Park Service employee who told him to stop.
The former Olympian was charged with one count of destruction of property of more than $1,000, and faces a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison, Pirro said.
In a statement released after the press conference, Hearn’s attorneys Norm Eisen and Mary Dohrmann said the former Olympian was innocent, and said the charges against him “are outrageous and should be alarming to every American.”
Crucial Quote
“There was an effort, a violent effort, to rip up the sealant from the bottom of the pool. And irrespective of whether or not we think that there is some situation that preceded it, we can state and prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he caused damage. And that damage is over $1,000,” Pirro said. When asked how prosecutors would prove the pool was not damaged beforehand, Pirro flippantly replied “come to the trial.” When asked if the sealant was already damaged before Hearn touched it, Pirro repeated “he damaged this pool” multiple times.
Key Background
President Donald Trump began renovations on the Reflecting Pool in April. The pool was drained and coated with an “American flag blue” sealant, before being refilled in June. But days later, an algae bloom returned to the basin, and visitors began noticing damage to the recently installed sealant. Trump blamed the damage on vandals, who he has repeatedly said cut the sealant with a knife. Multiple people have been arrested and cited for vandalism, including Hearn, who was on a bike ride before he was arrested on June 19. He told the Washington Post he was detained for five hours after a confrontation with Park Police. “I didn’t think I’d done anything wrong, so I had no reason to think I was going to be arrested,” Hearn later told MS NOW.