WASHINGTON — A former Olympic canoe racer who represented the United States in three Summer Games has entered a not guilty plea in a politically charged case involving alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
David Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, made his initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Thursday, where one of his attorneys entered the plea on his behalf. Hearn was indicted last Thursday on one felony count of property destruction.
The courtroom was packed for the hearing, where D.C. Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean declined to impose any supervision requirements on Hearn while he remains free ahead of trial. A status hearing has been set for August 5.
Prosecutor Kevin Reddington told the court that the government was not seeking supervision but did request a “stay-away order,” though he did not specify in court which location Hearn would be required to avoid.
Defense attorney Mary Dohrmann argued against any conditions being placed on her client, describing Hearn as an “upstanding citizen and member of the community.” She also took aim at the prosecution’s case, stating plainly, “The government’s evidence is weak.”
After the hearing concluded, dozens of Hearn’s supporters — many holding handmade signs — gathered outside the courthouse to greet him.
The case stems from ongoing problems surrounding the Reflecting Pool, which underwent a multimillion-dollar renovation ordered by President Donald Trump ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebration this month. The project has faced repeated setbacks, including an algae outbreak that required chemical treatment. Trump has also said the pool will likely need to be drained again to repair its liner after pieces of blue coating were spotted floating on the surface.
Trump has claimed, without providing supporting evidence, that vandals poured fertilizer into the pool and used a box cutter to slash the coating. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia, announced last week that six additional individuals had been arrested on misdemeanor charges tied to the $16 million pool project.
Hearn’s legal team has pushed back hard against the prosecution, calling the charges a “concocted narrative” and warning that the case “should be alarming to every American.” In a written statement, the attorneys said, “This indictment reflects the administration’s effort to shift blame for their own failures. The justice system exists to determine facts, not to provide political cover.”
Hearn previously told The Associated Press that he was held by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police for five hours after stopping at the pool during a 64-mile bike ride on June 19. He said he reached into the water to look at peeling coating and briefly touched a loose piece attached to the side of the pool, but immediately released it when a park worker instructed him to do so.
Pirro, however, accused Hearn of causing more than $1,000 in damage by tearing up newly installed sealant and acting aggressively toward a pool employee who told him to stop.
