Former Olympian pleads not guilty in reflecting pool case

Former U.S. Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty Thursday to a felony property destruction charge tied to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, a high-profile renovation project that has drawn criticism after algae and peeling material appeared in the water.

Hearn, 67, appeared in D.C. Superior Court after being indicted last week on a single count of destruction of property causing more than $1,000 in damage. The case centers on allegations that he damaged lining material at the bottom of the pool on June 19, shortly after a multimillion-dollar refurbishment was completed.

The reflecting pool, a 2,000-foot-long centerpiece of the National Mall, had been renovated with an “American flag blue” liner requested by President Donald Trump as part of the 250th anniversary celebration of U.S. independence, The Guardian reported. NPR described the project as a $14 million renovation, while The Guardian reported the cost as $14.7 million.

Soon after the work was completed, the pool developed visible problems. Peeling paint and algae gathered in the water, and pieces of the blue lining began to come off. The renovation has been widely criticized as a failure and a waste of taxpayer money, NPR reported.

Federal prosecutors allege Hearn “maliciously” broke or destroyed lining material on the bottom of the pool. Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington, D.C., said last week that prosecutors had “tremendous evidence” that Hearn had “forcefully and violently” pulled up and removed the bottom liner, causing more than $1,000 in damage.

Hearn denies the allegations. He has said he did not remove anything from the pool and has maintained that he simply touched the water out of curiosity. His attorneys repeated that account Thursday after the hearing.

“I didn’t vandalize anything,” Hearn told The Washington Post, according to The Guardian. “I didn’t destroy or break or peel anything. By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs.”

Hearn also acknowledged that his bike tire may have touched a hose being used by National Park Service workers to clear algae from the pool, The Guardian reported. His attorneys have called the charges a “concocted narrative” and said the case “should be alarming to every American.”

Outside court, attorney Norm Eisen accused the Trump administration of using Hearn as a “scapegoat … for their own failures.”

“It is not a crime to touch the reflecting pool, to touch water in the United States of America,” Eisen told reporters.

Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean released Hearn on his own recognizance, also described as a personal recognizance bond. His next court appearance, a status hearing, is scheduled for Aug. 5.

Hearn is a three-time U.S. Olympian and former Olympic canoe racer. The Guardian also described him as a cyclist in its account of the case.