Justice Department Seeks Dismissal of Case Against Former Olympian

The Justice Department has requested the dismissal of a criminal case against former Olympian David Hearn, who was accused of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Recent evidence indicates the damage was due to errors during the installation process by a contractor and pressure to complete the project before the America 250 celebrations, not vandalism.

In a detailed 20-page court filing, government lawyers cited new documents from the Interior Department as refuting the original claim that vandals were responsible. They stated that widespread damage, observed in a recent inspection, made it improbable for vandalism to have caused the issues.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro argued in the filing that the newly discovered information makes it challenging to attribute the damage to vandals, and asked the court to dismiss the charges against Hearn formally. Hearn’s legal team condemned the initial charges, labeling them an abuse of government power without substantial evidence.

The case dismissal is a setback for the Justice Department, which had emphasized holding Hearn accountable for damage at a significant Washington landmark. Former President Donald Trump alleged vandalism was to blame, without evidence, amid ongoing evidentiary issues in the case.

Hearn has maintained his innocence, asserting that the prosecution was politically motivated. His lawyers recently called for grand jury transcript access, citing irregularities in the proceedings. A National Park Service official had confirmed preexisting pool damage before Hearn’s alleged involvement, with necessary repairs regardless of Hearn’s actions.

Hearn pleaded not guilty to one felony count of property destruction, which carried a potential 10-year prison sentence. He was accused of inflicting over $1,000 in damage.

The case took a turn when prosecutors obtained new information undermining the prosecution’s foundation. It revealed the damage was due to poor installation and not vandalism, altering the entire course of the charges against Hearn.

Hearn explained that during a bike ride in June, he was detained for five hours after stopping by the pool. He inspected the pool’s coating but complied with park worker instructions. Hearn is 67, from Bethesda, Maryland, and participated in three Summer Olympics, with his best performance being ninth at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games.