US prosecutors dropped charges against former Olympic canoeist David Hearn, who had been accused of vandalising Washington D.C.’s iconic Reflecting Pool, after the government discovered that the damage stemmed from a rushed and botched paint job overseen by the Department of Interior. The case, which had carried a potential 10‑year prison sentence, was initially built on allegations that a “sick, deranged” vandal had left a 300‑foot cut in the pool’s surface.
A court filing released Friday by the U.S. Attorney for Washington D.C., Jeanine Pirro, explained that new information strongly suggested the damage resulted from contractor error rather than criminal vandalism. Pirro wrote that the U.S. Department of Interior had “failed to provide prosecutors with complete information about what caused the problems with the pool,” leading to a “botched installation” that the administration had rushed to finish before the 250th‑anniversary celebrations in July 2026.
Hearn, who had been arrested after publicly claiming he had merely touched the pool, maintained that he had not removed or damaged any paint. Hearn’s lawyers called the case a “mistake” and demanded a formal apology, characterising the administration’s actions as an abuse of power and a “ready, fire, aim” approach to justice.
The Reflecting Pool had undergone a multi‑million dollar resealing and painting project earlier this year, costing an estimated $16 million in total. Despite the renovation, the pool was plagued by algae and peeling sealant, and had been drained twice since the spring overhaul. Trump, who championed the makeover as part of his plan to beautify the capital, had previously said the pool had been “touched by a violent, reckless vandal.”
