The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., U.S., July 1, 2026. REUTERS/Annabelle Gordon
Former three-time Olympic canoeist David Hearn faces felony charges after being arrested for allegedly touching a piece of partially detached paint from the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Hearn, 67, claims he was merely curious about the paint and had no intent to vandalize.
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro was expected to hold a press conference about the grand jury indictment, CNN's correspondent Katelyn Polantz reported.
The case has drawn scrutiny because President Donald Trump publicly called the incident vandalism and demanded aggressive prosecution of any damage to the Reflecting Pool, citing a 10-year federal prison sentence for destruction of federal property.
Questions have emerged about whether Trump's inflammatory rhetoric influenced Pirro's decision to pursue felony charges rather than maintain the initial citation.
"Please remember that there is a 10-year prison sentence for the destruction of federal property, or even the attempted destruction of such things, which will be fully enforced," Polantz explained.
The Reflecting Pool was recently renovated for 14 million dollars.
Watch the video below.
Report typos and corrections to corrections@rawstory.com.
For customer support contact support@rawstory.com.
