District of Columbia U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro has requested that all charges be dropped against David Hearn, the three-time Olympian who had faced up to ten years in prison for vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Hearn, 67, was arrested on June 19 and indicted two weeks later on a single count of property destruction. Pirro later said at a news conference that a National Park Service (NPS) employees saw Hearn “forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner” of the Reflecting Pool and that this act damaged two square feet of the sealant.
“A parks employee actually told Hearn to stop, to stop his behavior and stop what he was doing,” Pirro added. “Hearn reacted by shouting at the parks employee, saying that she cared too much about the Reflecting Pool, and why did she even care, since it wasn’t her pool.”
While Trump never mentioned Hearn by name, in a July 14 Truth Social post about the Reflecting Pool, Trump did say that he believes the “Country-hating sleazebags should pay a big price for the damage done.”
Counting Hearn, four people were arrested and charged with vandalizing the Reflecting Pool.
Now according to the Justice Department it doesn’t look as though anyone vandalized anything. Rather…
Almost immediately after work was initially completed, peeling was observed along the pool perimeter. The NPS engineer’s June 11, 2026, email stated that the cause of the damage was contractor error via “overspray”; that the peeled lining would not float; and that the peeling would “not impact the strength of the liner.”
The engineer’s report also suggests that removing the liner at the perimeter would have had no negative impact on the economic value of the liner. Moreover, the July 20, 2026, inspection by contractors confirmed that overspray and delamination had occurred, again pointing to contractor error. Finally, a recent visual inspection showed damage throughout the Reflecting Pool, even in the middle of the pool, where a vandal would not likely attempt to peel the lining. Given all of this newly discovered information, it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt. For all of these reasons, the government, in the exercise of its prosecutorial discretion, respectfully requests that the indictment be dismissed without prejudice.
The DOJ added that the damage was not caused by vandals, but by the contractor who botched the installation in a “rush to complete the project prior to events associated with the America 250 celebration in the weeks surrounding Independence Day 2026.”
While it’s good to see the Justice Department’s willingness to take a public relations hit here, as well as invite what will be a withering weekend news cycle, this should serve as another reminder that the presumption of innocence is as important in a court of law as it is in the court of public opinion, which is now online, especially on social media.
Hearn is not the only one having charges dismissed…
Justin Carreno (47) had been charged with misdemeanor destruction of property. His case was also dismissed Friday.
Sophie Dennison-Gibby (49) and Cameron Thiers (26) still have their misdemeanor cases pending.
What you have here is another example of the awesome power of a prosecutor. Yes, the charges were dismissed, but in the meantime, imagine the disruption, stress, time wasted, and potential legal fees involved for these two innocent men. Imagine worrying about having the book thrown at you, which would mean prison time, especially with the President of the United States personally outraged and calling you a “sleazebag” who should “pay a big price.”
Remember… Richard Jewell. Johnny Depp. Duke Lacrosse. The Russia Collusion Hoax. The West Memphis Three. Kevin Spacey. Amanda Knox. Legions of peaceful January 6 protesters. Kirk Bloodsworth.
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