WASHINGTON, July 2 (DC Times Online) — A federal grand jury in Washington indicted former U.S. Olympian David Hearn on a felony property-destruction charge tied to alleged damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, according to court records and a statement from U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro.
Hearn told ABC News that he stopped at the pool during a bike ride, reached down to touch a loose blue coating or liner and did not damage the site. He said, “I did not damage, I did not rip, tear, break, destroy or harm any part of the Reflecting Pool.”
Hearn’s attorney, Norm Eisen, said the defense would challenge the case. “There’s no justification for this. We plan to challenge it vigorously,” Eisen told The Hill. He also said, “Touching water is not a federal offense.”
Prosecutors allege Hearn tore or removed about two square feet of sealant or liner and caused more than $1,000 in damage, according to coverage citing Pirro and court records. Hearn was arrested by U.S. Park Police after the June 19 incident and was scheduled to appear in D.C. court July 9.
