Attorneys for Olympian David Hearn ask internal watchdogs at DOJ, Interior Dept. to investigate potential misconduct

Key Points:

• Olympic canoeist David Hearn's attorneys have requested investigations by the Justice and Interior departments' internal watchdogs into his arrest, indictment, and case dismissal, citing wrongful prosecution and defamation by government officials.
• Hearn was falsely accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, indicted for felony destruction of government property, but the case was dismissed after it was revealed the damage was due to contractor error, not vandalism.
• During Hearn's five-hour detention, he was not read his Miranda rights or allowed to make a phone call, and he only learned of misdemeanor charges after release; he was later indicted on a felony charge amid claims of political pressure and inadequate investigation.
• Prosecutors allegedly had exculpatory evidence before indicting Hearn, and U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro is accused of unethical conduct, including interrogating the defense's expert witness without notice and making prejudicial public statements about the case.
• A Superior Court judge dismissed the case with prejudice, preventing future prosecution, citing concerns over political influence and prosecutorial misconduct, while the White House explored but was barred from pursuing additional charges.