Olympic canoeist David Hearn indicted for alleged damage to Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool

U.S. Olympic canoeist David “Davey” Hearn was indicted Thursday in the District of Columbia Superior Court on a felony count of destruction of property for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Prosecutors say National Park Service employees observed Hearn using both hands to pull up and remove a section of the pool’s bottom liner on June 19, damaging roughly two square feet of sealant.

"A parks employee actually told Hearn to stop, to stop his behavior and stop what he was doing," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said at a news conference, adding that Hearn responded by shouting at the employee.

Pirro described the alleged conduct as “belligerent, rude, and disrespectful” and said the damage exceeds $1,000, a threshold that elevates the charge to a felony. She indicated that an expert would testify that the repair cost meets that amount and noted that Hearn is alleged to have acted with his bare hands, facing up to ten years in prison if convicted.

Hearn’s attorneys, Norm Eisen and Mary Dohrmann, issued a statement calling the indictment “outrageous” and asserting that the charges are politically motivated. Hearn told NBC News he was detained for five hours after briefly touching a piece of the pool’s coating out of curiosity during a bike ride and maintained that he did not remove or damage any material. He said the pool’s condition was unchanged after he stepped away.

The Reflecting Pool has been undergoing a multi-million-dollar rehabilitation, including a new “American flag blue” liner that has shown signs of peeling and algae growth. Earlier reports indicated that the liner had been cut with a sharp instrument, and other incidents involving fence post tops being thrown into the water have been documented. Pirro said additional cases related to the pool’s vandalism are being investigated.

The indictment follows a broader political debate over the pool’s condition and recent statements by former President Donald Trump attributing damage to vandals without presenting evidence.