A former U.S. Olympic canoeist stood before a Washington, D.C. Superior Court judge on Thursday and entered a not guilty plea in connection with alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
David “Davey” Hearn, 67, is charged with felony destruction of property after federal prosecutors claimed he intentionally damaged the lining material at the bottom of the famous pool on June 19.
The 2,000-foot-long pool, a landmark feature of Washington’s National Mall, was recently refurbished with an “American flag blue” liner at President Donald Trump’s request, part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.
Shortly after the renovation was completed, the pool began showing significant problems — algae blooms turned the water green, and sections of the blue liner began peeling away. With criticism mounting over the $14.7 million project, Trump blamed the issues on deliberate sabotage by vandals.
Jeanine Pirro, the Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, announced criminal charges against Hearn earlier this month, framing the prosecution as part of a broader effort to defend American monuments.
According to Pirro, Hearn deliberately pulled at the liner, tearing a 2-square-foot section and causing more than $1,000 in damage. If convicted, Hearn could face a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars.
Hearn’s legal team has pushed back strongly, maintaining his innocence and arguing that the Trump administration filed charges to shift public focus away from what they described as a poorly executed renovation.
Hearn himself has acknowledged that he reached into the pool while riding his bicycle nearby and touched a piece of liner that was already coming loose — but he has firmly denied pulling any material out of the pool.
In the days after the renovation was unveiled, Trump alleged that individuals had poured chemicals into the pool to encourage algae growth and cut a 300-foot gash into the liner. To date, no one — including Hearn — has been formally accused of those specific actions.
The Department of the Interior reported that at least six people were arrested on suspicion of vandalizing the pool in the weeks that followed. National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police were deployed to monitor the site, and the pool was surrounded by fencing during the July 4th holiday festivities.
Trump has indicated the pool will need to be partially drained again so repairs can be made.
