Lawyers Seek Permanent Dismissal of Charges Against Ex-Olympian in Lincoln Memorial Pool Case

WASHINGTON: Lawyers representing former Olympic canoeist David Hearn have asked a Washington court to permanently dismiss criminal charges accusing him of damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, arguing that the US Justice Department knew—or should have known—that the case lacked merit from the outset.

The request follows last week’s decision by US Attorney Jeanine Pirro to withdraw the indictment after newly disclosed evidence from the Department of the Interior indicated that the damage to the Reflecting Pool’s liner resulted from faulty contractor installation and a rushed renovation project ahead of America 250 celebrations, rather than vandalism.

In a court filing, Hearn’s legal team argued that publicly available photographs, videos and other evidence had long shown the pool’s liner was already failing before their client visited the site. The lawyers contended that prosecutors ignored readily available evidence, proceeded without establishing a sound factual basis for the charges, and failed to present key witness testimony to the grand jury.

The defence also noted that a principal government witness reportedly acknowledged the repairs would have been necessary regardless of Hearn’s actions and could not identify any additional costs caused by him. The contractor responsible for the renovation had also publicly acknowledged problems with the project before Hearn was indicted, according to the filing.

Hearn, a three-time US Olympic canoeist, has consistently denied intentionally damaging the Reflecting Pool. He said he briefly touched a loose section of the liner during a bicycle ride after being instructed by a park worker to let go, maintaining that he caused no damage. His lawyers are seeking dismissal “with prejudice,” which would prevent prosecutors from refiling the charges in the future.

The collapse of the prosecution has sparked political controversy after President Donald Trump continued to insist the pool had been vandalised, despite the Justice Department’s revised assessment attributing the damage to construction defects. The case has become an embarrassing setback for federal prosecutors and highlighted divisions within the administration over the handling of the investigation.