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Hearn pleads not guilty
Former Olympic canoe racer David “Davey” Hearn pleaded not guilty in D.C. Superior Court to a single felony count of property destruction tied to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, after prosecutors said he deliberately damaged the “American flag blue” lining installed at the bottom of the reflecting pool at Trump’s request.
The case centers on a June 19 incident at Washington’s National Mall, where federal prosecutors alleged Hearn “maliciously” damaged the lining and accused him of causing more than $1,000 in damage.
Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, entered the plea through one of his attorneys during his initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court, and a status hearing was scheduled for Aug. 5.
Defense attorneys and supporters framed the prosecution as politically driven, with Norm Eisen telling reporters outside court that “Every American should be alarmed about this prosecution,” and Newsweek later quoted Eisen saying “Today, Davey Hearn pled not guilty – because he is.”
Prosecutors vs defense
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the top federal prosecutor for the District of Columbia, said vandalizing monuments and public spaces is “an affront to our shared history,” and she also accused Hearn of “forcefully and violently” pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both hands.
Defense attorneys said prosecutors’ evidence is “weak,” and Mary Dohrmann told the court that “The government’s evidence is weak,” while Eisen argued the indictment reflects an effort to scapegoat Hearn and shift blame for failures.
In court, D.C. Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean did not require Hearn to be supervised by the court while he is free awaiting a trial, and a prosecutor said the government wasn’t seeking supervision but just a “stay-away order” without specifying where it wanted Hearn to be kept away.
Outside the courthouse, dozens of supporters gathered and chanted “Davey!” as Hearn left after the hearing, while the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that Hearn did not speak and raised his right hand and pumped his fist as he left.
Renovation fallout
The Reflecting Pool case unfolds against a renovation project that Reuters described as a multimillion-dollar effort plagued by problems, including damage to its new coating, and Al Jazeera said the reflecting pool reopened in June after Trump ordered a new liner installed across the bottom ahead of celebrations for the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence on July 4.
“A former US Olympian has pleaded not guilty to vandalising the newly renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, in a case that has drawn national attention amid accusations that the administration of US President Donald Trump is trying to shift blame for a troubled renovation”
Trump has claimed without providing evidence that vandals caused damage, including alleging “corrosive and destructive chemicals” were poured into the pool and that vandals “took some form of knife or blade” and put a long “gash into the beautiful facade,” while Hearn’s lawyers argued the prosecution is an attempt to shift blame for a troubled renovation.
The dispute has also drawn attention to the pool’s repair timeline, with Al Jazeera reporting that Trump acknowledged it will need to be drained again so the damaged liner can be repaired, and NewsNation stating that officials said the pool will need to be drained again for repairs.
As the legal process moves forward, Hearn faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years in prison for destruction of property, and the court set a status hearing for Aug. 5 as supporters continued to rally outside D.C. Superior Court.
