WASHINGTON, July 2 (DC Times Online) — Former U.S. Olympian David Hearn was indicted in Washington, D.C., on a felony property-destruction charge over an alleged incident at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to court records and a statement from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Hearn, a former canoeist who competed for the United States, said he stopped at the Reflecting Pool on June 19 during a bike ride and touched a loose piece of blue coating or liner. He told ABC News and the Associated Press that he did not damage the site.
U.S. Park Police arrested Hearn after the interaction, according to reports citing the arrest. Hearn said he was looking at the newly renovated surface when he stopped and that he believed he was acting as a curious passerby.
In a statement attributed to Pirro and cited in later coverage, prosecutors alleged that Hearn tore or removed about two square feet of sealant from the pool and caused more than $1,000 in damage.
Hearn’s attorney, Norm Eisen, said the defense will fight the case. “There’s no justification for this. We plan to challenge it vigorously,” he told The Hill. Eisen also said, “Touching water is not a federal offense.”
