WASHINGTON, July 2 (DC Times Online) — A federal grand jury in Washington indicted former U.S. Olympian David Hearn in connection with alleged damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to court records and a statement from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Hearn was arrested by U.S. Park Police on June 19 after stopping during a bike ride at the pool, he told ABC News. He said he reached into the water and touched a loose piece of blue coating or liner, but denied damaging the site.
“I did not damage, I did not rip, tear, break, destroy or harm any part of the Reflecting Pool,” Hearn told ABC News. He said he was looking at the newly renovated surface and believed he was only handling a loose section.
Prosecutors allege Hearn tore or removed about two square feet of sealant or liner and caused more than $1,000 in damage, according to Pirro’s public statement. The government has pursued the case as a property-destruction charge in D.C. federal court.
Hearn’s attorney, Norm Eisen, denied the allegations and said the defense would challenge the case. “Touching water is not a federal offense,” Eisen said.
The Reflecting Pool sits next to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, one of the city’s most prominent federal landmarks.
