A three-time U.S. Olympic canoeist has become an unlikely criminal defendant, and he insists he did nothing wrong. David “Davey” Hearn, 67, pleaded not guilty Thursday, July 9, at his arraignment in District of Columbia Superior Court to a single felony count of destruction of property valued at more than $1,000.
Prosecutors allege that Hearn damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 19, saying he ripped out sealant from the basin, which had only recently undergone a major renovation. A grand jury indicted him on July 2. The charge he faces carries a statutory maximum of up to 10 years in prison — a ceiling written into the law, not a sentence that anyone involved suggests is likely for a first-time, non-violent property allegation.
An Olympian’s Denial
Hearn firmly denies the allegation. According to his account, he never removed or tore any coating from the pool. He says he simply waded into the shallow water out of “curiosity” about the algae that had overtaken it. His plea of not guilty sets the case on a path toward either a negotiated resolution or a trial, where prosecutors would have to prove the damage and his intent beyond a reasonable doubt.
Hearn is not an obscure figure in the world of paddling. A three-time Olympian, he spent decades as one of the most recognizable names in American whitewater canoe slalom. That background has drawn national attention to what might otherwise have been a routine property case, with outlets including CBS, NBC, NPR, CNN, ESPN, The Hill, and The Washington Post covering the arraignment.
The Pool at the Center of the Case
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is one of the most photographed landmarks in the country, stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument on the National Mall. It had recently gone through a rehabilitation project costing more than $14 million. Despite that investment, the water famously turned green with algae over the July 4th weekend, drawing complaints and headlines of its own.
It was that algae bloom, Hearn says, that caught his attention and led him to step into the water. Prosecutors see the episode differently, framing his actions as intentional damage to federal property that taxpayers had just paid millions to restore.
What Happens Next
Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean released Hearn on his own recognizance, meaning he was not required to post money to remain free while the case proceeds. His next hearing is scheduled for August 5.
The case is already sparking debate. Supporters question whether a felony charge and a headline-grabbing 10-year maximum are a proportionate response to allegations of damaged sealant on a public pool, especially from a defendant with no history of violence who insists he is being blamed for something he did not do. Others argue that national monuments deserve firm protection and that the justice system should take seriously any allegation of intentional damage to a landmark maintained for all Americans.
For now, the facts remain contested. Hearn has entered his plea, maintained his innocence, and will return to court in August. Until then, the question of whether this is a case of overreach or accountability is one a judge — and possibly a jury — will ultimately decide.