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Former Olympic canoe racer pleads not guilty in Reflecting Pool damage case
PBS • • nation
Key Points:
- D.C. Superior Court Judge Carmen McLean allowed Hearn to remain free without court supervision while awaiting trial, with a status hearing set for August 5.
- Supporters gathered outside the courthouse showing public backing for Hearn after the hearing.
- The Reflecting Pool renovation, ordered by President Trump for the nation's 250th anniversary, has faced multiple issues including algae blooms and damaged liner coatings.
- Trump alleged vandalism involving fertilizer and box cutter damage, but experts and Hearn's attorneys dispute these claims, calling the charges politically motivated.
- U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro reported six other misdemeanor arrests related to the $16 million pool project, and accused Hearn of causing over $1,000 in damage and acting belligerently toward a park employee.
