The Justice Department has dropped its case against David “Davey” Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, who was charged in connection with damage to the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. The department acknowledged that their allegations against Hearn lacked sufficient evidence.
A recent filing from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, led by Jeanine Pirro, stated that new information challenged the basis for the indictment. Prosecutors revealed that the Interior Department provided documents to indicate the damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in June 2026 resulted from a flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings, rather than from vandalism.
The Justice Department’s review of the evidence revealed difficulty in attributing the damage to vandalism and establishing that claim beyond a reasonable doubt. A spokesperson for Pirro mentioned the filing speaks for itself, and her office moved to dismiss at least one of the other three misdemeanor cases related to the Reflecting Pool incident.
Hearn, who pleaded not guilty to the charges of property destruction, affirmed that the pool’s condition remained unchanged after his visit. He was accused of causing over $1,000 worth of damage. Speaking about the case, Hearn’s attorney, Steven Levin, stated that the case against Hearn should never have started. Levin criticized the government’s actions as an abuse of power, asserting Hearn deserves an apology.
This story is ongoing. Stay tuned for more information.