DOJ Drops Case Against Ex-Olympian, Blames Botched Pool Renovation

The Justice Department has dismissed criminal charges against former Olympic canoeist David "Davey" Hearn, acknowledging that damage to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool stemmed from a flawed renovation rather than vandalism.

In a court filing Friday, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, led by Jeanine Pirro, said newly obtained documents from the Department of the Interior showed the pool's damage resulted from a botched installation by contractor Atlantic Industrial Coatings, made worse by a rush to finish the project ahead of America 250 events around Independence Day 2026. Prosecutors wrote that it would be difficult to attribute the widespread damage to vandalism, let alone prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.

Hearn, 67, of Bethesda, Maryland, was arrested after stopping at the pool during a bike ride on June 19 and touching a piece of coating he noticed was already detached in the water. He was held for five hours and later indicted on a felony destruction-of-property charge, accused of causing more than $1,000 in damage. Hearn has said the pool's condition was unchanged after he put his hands in the water. He had pleaded not guilty.

President Trump had repeatedly claimed, without evidence, that vandals cut a lengthy gash in the pool's lining following its $14 million renovation. Pirro's office initially built its case on reports from the Interior Department and U.S. Park Police pointing to vandalism, but reversed course after receiving additional documentation.

Hearn's attorney, Steven Levin, said in a statement that the case should never have been brought and that the government owes Hearn an apology, describing the administration's approach as reckless.

Pirro's office also moved to dismiss at least one of three related misdemeanor cases tied to the pool renovation. A spokesperson for Pirro said the filing speaks for itself.

Hearn competed in three Summer Olympics, with his best finish, ninth place, coming at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

The dismissal marks another reversal for Pirro's office amid a broader federal crackdown on D.C. crime, following similar walk-backs in other high-profile arrests made under the administration's policing surge.