Case Against Olympian David Hearn Dismissed

David Hearn, a former Olympian, appeared at Moultrie Courthouse in Washington, DC, with his attorney, Norman Eisen, following his arraignment on July 9, 2026. The gathering included both reporters and protestors.

The case involved charges against Hearn linked to alleged vandalism of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Federal prosecutors have now decided to dismiss these charges. They determined that the damage was ‘the result of botched installation and not vandalism.’

Earlier in the month, Hearn, aged 67, had entered a plea of not guilty to charges of property destruction, reportedly causing over $1,000 in damage. Hearn maintained that he had merely touched the pool’s water out of curiosity. The initial accusations claimed he damaged a sealant piece at the pool’s bottom following a $14 million renovation.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for D.C., had previously described Hearn’s actions as deliberate vandalism at the National Mall, highlighting the restoration efforts of the National Park Service. However, the recent filing by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for D.C. marks a change in stance.

“It was not until after the return of the indictment, that the DOI provided additional documents … indicating that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was the result of flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings (AIC) and the rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office noted that their earlier reliance was on initial reports from the Department of the Interior and U.S. Park Police. NPR has contacted the Department of the Interior for a statement.