A trial date has been set for September 28 for a former Olympic canoe racer charged with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. David Hearn faces a felony count of property destruction, with a potential maximum prison sentence of 10 years upon conviction.
Hearn, who pleaded not guilty to the charge, has requested the court dismiss the case. His attorneys argue that the government has failed to preserve crucial physical evidence from the pool, citing its recent draining and alteration as destruction of evidence that could prove his innocence. They contend the Constitution does not permit the government to charge someone with destroying an object and then alter it before the defense can examine it.
Hearn, 67, was detained by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police on June 19 after he stopped by the pool during a bike ride. He stated he reached in to examine the pool's peeling coating and briefly touched a piece attached to the side before complying with a park worker's instruction to let go.
The Reflecting Pool has been the subject of a renovation project championed by President Donald Trump. While Trump initially estimated the renovation cost at $1.5 million, the project's expenses have reportedly surpassed $16 million. Critics of the administration attribute the cost overruns and project issues to shoddy repair work. Hearn and his supporters claim his prosecution is a politically motivated effort by the Trump administration to deflect blame for the project's failures.
At least three other individuals have been charged with misdemeanors for allegedly removing paint fragments from the pool. The felony charge against Hearn accuses him of causing at least $1,000 in damage.
Hearn, a resident of Bethesda, Maryland, competed in three Summer Olympic Games. His best Olympic performance was a ninth-place finish at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.