Federal prosecutors have dropped a felony vandalism charge against former Olympian David Hearn after determining that damage to the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool was caused by a faulty installation rather than criminal conduct.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia filed a motion Friday to dismiss the case after new evidence showed the pool’s blue liner had begun peeling almost immediately following renovations completed last month.
Hearn had pleaded not guilty earlier this month to a felony destruction of property charge stemming from a June 19 visit to the memorial. Prosecutors initially alleged he intentionally damaged the pool by pulling on its lining.
However, court filings now state that the Department of the Interior did not provide complete information during the early stages of the investigation. After the indictment was issued, investigators concluded the damage resulted from a flawed installation by the contractor, not vandalism.
According to court documents, the pool’s sealant had already begun peeling and bubbling shortly after it was applied. Additional testimony indicated the Reflecting Pool was leaking about 1 million gallons of water per week before Hearn was arrested, suggesting significant pre-existing damage.
Hearn, a three-time Olympic canoe slalom competitor and two-time world champion, has consistently denied damaging the memorial. He has said he merely touched an already loose section of the liner while visiting the site during a bicycle ride.
The Reflecting Pool underwent an extensive refurbishment that included a dark blue coating and new technology intended to reduce algae growth. Despite initial projections that the work could be completed quickly for about $1.5 million, federal spending records show the project has grown to nearly $14.7 million under a no-bid contract awarded to a Virginia contractor.
The pool has since been drained and closed again for additional repairs after algae returned and the new liner began failing.
The case drew national attention after the Trump administration pledged to aggressively prosecute anyone accused of damaging the historic monument. With the dismissal, prosecutors now acknowledge the damage attributed to Hearn was instead the result of problems with the renovation itself.
Source: The Independent