Federal prosecutors have moved to dismiss a felony vandalism case against former U.S. Olympian David Hearn, who had been accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. The U.S. Attorney's office for D.C. announced the move Friday, citing newly disclosed information from the Department of the Interior (DOI).
Hearn was indicted on July 2 on one count of felony destruction of property. U.S. Park Police alleged that Hearn had pulled at a loose section of the pool's coating on June 19, despite being instructed to stop by a National Park Service employee. Officials initially estimated the damage at over $1,000.
However, prosecutors stated that the DOI had initially provided "barebones" reports and failed to disclose records detailing significant issues with the pool's coating installation. According to the court filing obtained by Fox News Digital, the DOI later provided additional documents indicating that the damage was a result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, and efforts to expedite the project before the America 250 celebration and Fourth of July events in 2026.
Prosecutors argued that this new evidence makes it difficult to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Hearn caused the damage. The Department of Justice is asking the court to dismiss the indictment without prejudice, which would allow for the possibility of refiling charges.
Hearn's attorneys issued a statement demanding an apology, asserting that the case "should never have been brought" and that the government's actions constituted an "abuse of government power." They described the government's approach as "ready, fire, aim."
This is not the first time Hearn has faced federal charges. In 1996, he was arrested by U.S. Park Police and charged with failing to obey a lawful order after entering the Potomac River during a period of intense flooding. Hearn fought the charges, and a federal judge dismissed them, ruling that the U.S. Park Police lacked jurisdiction over the river, which is controlled by Maryland.
The incident involving the reflecting pool was captured on video and circulated widely on social media. Hearn's attorneys have stated that the Olympian did nothing wrong and that the administration owes him an apology.