Justice Department dismisses case against former Olympian over Reflecting Pool damage

Federal prosecutors in Washington have moved to dismiss the indictment of former Olympic canoeist David "Davey" Hearn, who had been charged with damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. In a filing on Friday, a supervisor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said that newly obtained information undermined the evidentiary basis for the case.

The Justice Department noted that documents from the Interior Department showed the pool damage in June 2026 was caused by a flawed installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings, rather than by vandalism. The filing stated that it was difficult to attribute the damage to vandalism "beyond a reasonable doubt."

The office, led by Jeanine Pirro, also sought to dismiss at least one of three additional misdemeanor charges related to the incident. Hearn, who pleaded not guilty, told reporters the pool's condition was unchanged after he entered the water. His attorney, Steven Levin, called the dismissal "a necessary correction" and said the government should apologize for the arrest.

"The Government’s case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought," Levin said.

The Department’s decision reflects a reassessment of the evidence after the Interior Department provided further documentation.