Overview
- David Hearn, a 67‑year‑old former U.S. Olympic canoeist, pleaded not guilty on Thursday, July 9 to a felony count of destruction of property alleging he ripped about two square feet of the pool’s new liner.
- Judge Carmen McLean released Hearn on his own recognizance, set a status hearing for August 5, and said the court calendar prevents a trial until at least February 2027.
- Park Service crews began draining the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool after July 4 to remove debris and perform warranty repairs while the administration rehired the original contractor to fix the liner.
- Engineers, preservation groups and scientists say the core problems include buried 12‑inch circulation pipes left in place and a darker polyurea liner that raises water temperature and encourages algae, which short‑term chemical and ozone treatments cannot fully fix.
- The case has prompted preservation litigation and congressional inquiries into fast‑tracked, largely no‑bid contracts that swelled the project to roughly $14‑16 million and has provoked debate over whether the prosecution is addressing vandalism or deflecting from renovation failures.