Former Olympic Canoeist David Hearn’s Trial Set for Late September

A D.C. Superior Court judge has scheduled a September 28 trial for David Hearn, a former Olympic canoe racer charged with felony property destruction after allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Hearn entered a not-guilty plea on July 9 and has asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing that the government failed to preserve key physical evidence.

In a filing, Hearn’s attorneys contended that officials drained the pool and altered the evidence before the defense could examine it, violating constitutional protections. They wrote, "The Constitution simply does not permit the government to charge a man with destroying an object, retain exclusive custody of that object, and then drain, disturb, and alter the object before the defense may examine it, despite a written demand for its preservation. And yet that is what has happened here."

The felony charge carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison and alleges at least $1,000 in damage. Three other individuals have been charged with misdemeanors for allegedly removing paint from the pool. The reflecting pool’s renovation, initiated by the Trump administration, has faced cost overruns and criticism over workmanship.

Hearn, 67, from Bethesda, Maryland, said he was detained for five hours by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police after stopping at the pool during a bike ride on June 19. He said he briefly touched a piece of the newly peeled coating before a park worker instructed him to let go. Hearn competed in three Summer Olympics, with his best finish being ninth place at the 1996 Atlanta Games.