WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has dropped its case against former Olympic canoeist David “Davey” Hearn, who was charged with damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Prosecutors acknowledged that their allegations did not hold up after new information emerged.

The Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, led by Jeanine Pirro, stated that officials obtained information undermining the evidentiary basis for the indictment against Hearn. After the indictment, the Interior Department provided additional documents indicating that the damage to the Reflecting Pool in June 2026 was due to a flawed installation by the contractor, Atlantic Industrial Coatings.

The Justice Department said it first became aware that the damage resulted from a botched installation rather than vandalism after reviewing these documents. Their filing noted, “it is difficult to attribute the widespread damage to the Reflecting Pool to vandalism, let alone to establish that fact beyond a reasonable doubt.”

Hearn had pleaded not guilty to charges of destruction of property and was accused of causing over $1,000 in damage. He told NBC News that the pool’s condition remained unchanged after he put his hands in the water.

Hearn’s attorney, Steven Levin, criticized the case, saying, “The Government’s case against Davey Hearn should never have been brought. Its dismissal today does not erase the abuse of government power in arresting and charging a patriotic American.”

The Attorney’s Office also moved to dismiss at least one other misdemeanor case related to the Reflecting Pool.

Sources