Olympian David Hearn charged with destruction of property at Reflecting Pool
WASHINGTON, DC (CBS NEWS) — Olympian David Hearn has been indicted by a D.C. grand jury on a felony charge related to alleged vandalism at the Washington, D.C., Reflecting Pool, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announced Thursday.
Hearn, 67, is accused of ripping out a piece of sealant on the bottom of the Reflecting Pool on June 19, Pirro said. Pirro said National Park Service employees observed him removing the bottom liner of the pool.
“One of the most offensive images that I hold in my mind are the images of national monuments that are being debased, roped, torn down, graffitied, and damaged by individuals,” Pirro said at a news conference on Thursday. “This unchecked vandalism and civil disorder turns into criminal behavior, and that’s why we are here today.”
Hearn, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland, said he stopped by the pool last month while on a 64-mile bike ride, and authorities arrested him after he reached down into the pool. He said he was held for five hours.
Hearn’s case is being handled in D.C. Superior Court.
According to a publicly available court docket, Hearn is facing a charge for destruction of property for causing more than $1,000 of damage.
Hearn faces up to 10 years in prison, if convicted.
When an employee told him to stop what he was doing, Pirro said Hearn “reacted by shouting at that park’s employee, saying that she cared too much about the reflecting pool, and why did she even care, since it wasn’t her pool.”
Pirro said there are about half a dozen cases related to vandalism at the Reflecting Pool, though it was not clear yet if there might be more indictments on felony charges because it depends on the strength of the evidence. She said some of them may end up leading to misdemeanors, rather than felonies.
Pirro added that her office is also still investigating what Trump administration officials say is a large gash in the liner of the newly-renovated pool.
President Trump has repeatedly blamed vandals for problems at the Reflecting Pool, after paint began to peel from it shortly after the renovations were completed and the pool turned green from algae.
CBS News previously reported that the federal government awarded a company owned by a Trump donor a $1.7 million contract to install a new water cleaning system for the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Frank Lands, deputy director for operations for the National Park Service, said in a court filing last month that the park service reported the damage on June 9 to the U.S. Park Police.
At least five people have been arrested for alleged vandalism related to the Reflecting Pool, and five additional people were issued federal citations, according to the U.S. Park Police. But details of the evidence against those other individuals has not yet been released.
