Federal prosecutors have moved to drop the felony charge against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn in the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool case. Hearn, a three-time U.S. Olympian, was arrested in June and later indicted for allegedly damaging the newly renovated pool’s liner. He pleaded not guilty, saying he only briefly touched already-peeling material out of curiosity while on a bike ride.
On July 31, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office filed to dismiss the case, stating new evidence showed the widespread peeling came from a flawed, rushed installation by the contractor—not vandalism. Prosecutors said they could no longer prove intentional damage beyond a reasonable doubt. Hearn’s attorneys called the prosecution an abuse of power and said the administration owes him an apology.
The charge against him is now being dropped.
