Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who competed in the 1992, 1996, and 2000 Olympics, pleaded not guilty to charges of damaging the Reflecting Pool at the base of the Washington Monument. The 67-year-old was indicted on July 2 after being accused of ripping out a portion of the sealant from the bottom of the pool on June 19.

Hearn stated that he stopped by the Reflecting Pool during a 64-mile bike ride and was arrested after reaching down into the pool. He has maintained that he was merely interested in the material and briefly touched it.

Represented by Mary Dohrmann, senior counsel at Washington Litigation Group, and Norm Eisen, co-founder and executive chair of Democracy Defenders Fund, Hearn's legal team requested a status hearing and trial date while advocating for his release without restrictions. The government sought a "stay away, no contact order," which Dohrmann opposed, arguing that Hearn is "an upstanding citizen" who "does not need supervision of any kind" and that imposing restrictions would be "a waste of court resources."

A status hearing has been scheduled for August 5. The judge agreed to release Hearn on his own recognizance.

Following the indictment, Hearn's lawyers issued a statement claiming the case "reflects the administration's effort to shift blame for their own failures."

Sources