Former Olympian indicted after arrest over alleged Reflecting Pool vandalism
The indictment follows a June arrest and could bring up to 10 years in prison if Hearn is convicted, officials said.
- On Thursday, a D.C. grand jury indicted three-time Olympian David Hearn on a felony charge of property destruction at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, carrying a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison if convicted.
- Hearn was arrested June 19 after touching a detached piece of the pool's "American flag blue" liner during a bike ride; the monument has faced algae blooms and peeling sealant since the $14 million renovation reopened last month.
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro alleged Hearn "forcefully and violently" pulled the liner, causing over $1,000 in damage; Hearn's attorney Norm Eisen countered that the indictment reflects the administration's effort to "shift blame for their own failures."
- Pirro reported her office is investigating about a half dozen other cases related to the pool, with some potentially resulting in misdemeanor charges rather than felonies.
- President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed vandalism for the pool's deterioration, though critics argue peeling sealant and algae may stem from maintenance or environmental factors rather than criminal activity.
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The green colored Reflecting Pool in the US capital annoys President Trump. The prosecutor's office now accuses an ex-Olympia canon of vandalism.
NEWS HEADLINES: Pirro: Grand Jury indicts fmr Olympian accused of vandalizing Reflecting Pool – One America News Network
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro (C) speaks during a press conference at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia on July 02, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) OAN Staff Addie Davis2:30 PM – Thursday, July 2, 2026 United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced that a grand jury had issued a felony indictment against the former U.S. Olympian accused …
Only two days before the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, when President Donald Trump had planned that the reflecting pond of the Lincoln monument in Washington would look spectacular with the blue of the U.S. flag. But instead the work in which the Republican administration invested $14.2 million has left the water with a somewhat suspicious green with algae. In those circumstances, the District Attorney of Columbia, J…
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