US prosecutors dropped charges against former Olympian David Hearn for the alleged vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington DC. Prosecutors stated that new information suggests the damage was actually the result of a flawed and rushed installation by a contractor overseen by the US Department of the Interior.
A court document filed on Friday indicated that the damage occurred during a rushed effort to complete repairs before the America 250 celebrations surrounding Independence Day 2026. The US Attorney for Washington DC, Jeanine Pirro, filed the document dropping the charges and noting that the Department of the Interior had not provided complete information at the start of the case. The filing stated that had the Department of the Interior been forthcoming with the information in its possession, the government would not have sought a grand jury indictment.
David Hearn, a champion canoeist, had previously faced a potential 10-year prison sentence. Hearn had denied destroying or removing any part of the pool's paint. His lawyers accused the Trump administration of an abuse of power and stated the government owed him an apology, claiming the case should never have been brought.
The Reflecting Pool recently underwent a multi-million dollar resealing and painting project. While the original budget was less than $2 million, the project cost an estimated $16 million. The contract was awarded to a contractor chosen by President Donald Trump and was not open to bidding from other companies. Despite the renovation, the pool has faced issues with algae and peeling sealant.
President Trump previously described the damage as being caused by sick and deranged vandals. While expressing disagreement with the decision to drop the charges, the president admitted there may have been contractor difficulty but maintained that vandals caused the major damage.
The Reflecting Pool has been drained for the second time in three months and remains empty. The project was part of an effort to beautify the capital city ahead of the country's 250th independence anniversary.
