Charges Dismissed Against Olympian Accused of Vandalizing Reflecting Pool

Charges have been dropped against former Olympian David Hearn, who had been accused of vandalizing Donald Trump’s restored Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Investigators later determined that the damage stemmed not from vandalism, but from a “flawed installation by the contractor” and “the rush to complete the project” ahead of Trump’s America 250 celebration.

Government attorneys acknowledged those findings in a 20-page court filing made public Friday, as DC US Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to dismiss the case.

“Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt,” the filing states.

Hearn’s attorneys said in a statement that the prosecution should never have happened in the first place.

“Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American who did nothing wrong. The government´s approach was ready, fire, aim. The administration owes Mr Hearn an apology,” the lawyers said.

The Daily Mail has contacted both the White House and the Department of the Interior, which oversees the Reflecting Pool, seeking comment.  

Hearn told the Daily Mail last month that his arrest and the charges against him were a farce designed to reinforce a false narrative, while sharing an image showing damage to the pool’s facade. 

‘It’s a completely unfounded accusation. It’s a lie,’ Hearn said over the phone. ‘I didn’t rip, tear, destruct, destroy, or harm in any way, any part of the reflecting pool.’ 

Hearn admitted to touching a ‘loose flap of coating,’ but claimed he did so purely because he was ‘curious as a concerned citizen.’ 

The 67-year-old from Bethesda, Maryland, was indicted last earlier this month on a single felony count of property destruction.

Before the country’s 250th independence celebrations, President Donald Trump launched a multimillion dollar renovation project for the Reflecting Pool, which was plagued by problems, including damage to its new coating. 

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Trump, without providing evidence, has alleged the damage was caused by vandals.

Hearn has said he reached inside the pool to examine the peeled sealant and let go of a chunk when he was told to by a park worker. He is accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage.

‘Every American should be alarmed about this prosecution,’ defense attorney Norm Eisen said after the hearing. ‘It is not a crime to touch the Reflecting Pool.’

President Trump championed the $16 million renovation as part of his goal to beautify Washington DC ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. 

But less than two weeks after the project was completed, the newly refinished paint job began peeling, and algae blooms turned the water green. Trump admitted over the weekend that the pool may need to be drained for repairs. 

‘They clearly wanted a news story that they could promote that was centered around vandals damaging the reflecting pool,’ Hearn said, adamant he did nothing wrong. 

‘Officers were ready to arrest me and other people they found who they could have some contrived basis of charges on to accuse them of vandalism,’ Hearn said. 

Hearn pleaded not guilty earlier this month to one felony count of property destruction and has a trial scheduled to start September 28 in DC Superior Court. 

The charge, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years upon conviction, accuses Hearn of causing at least $1,000 in damage to the pool.

Hearn competed in three Summer Olympics, earning his best finish, ninth, at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee says on its website.

He and his supporters have said the prosecution is a politically motivated attempt by the Trump administration to deflect blame and scapegoat others.

This is a developing story.