Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony property damage charges stemming from an incident at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. Hearn, 67, entered his plea during his initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court. Judge Carmen McLean did not impose court supervision on Hearn while he awaits trial, scheduling a status hearing for August 5.
Hearn was indicted last week on a felony destruction of property charge. He was arrested on June 19 in connection with the incident. Hearn has denied deliberately damaging the pool, stating he stopped his bike ride and touched a piece of peeling blue coating to "satisfy my curiosity as a citizen." He told The Washington Post, "I didn't vandalize anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs."
Prosecutor Kevin Reddington indicated the government was not seeking court supervision but a "stay-away order." One of Hearn's attorneys, Mary Dohrmann, argued against any conditions of supervision, describing Hearn as an "upstanding citizen and member of the community." Dohrmann also asserted that "the government’s evidence is weak."
The Reflecting Pool recently underwent a $14 million rehabilitation project. Hearn's indictment follows other arrests and citations for alleged damage to the pool. Video of Hearn's arrest circulated on X, with journalist Emily Miller accusing the former Olympian of grabbing a hose used by National Park Service workers to clear algae. Hearn denied this accusation but acknowledged his bike tire may have made contact with the hose.
Hearn represented the United States in canoe slalom at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, and the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Records indicate Hearn has ties to a left-wing fundraising network.