Olympian David Hearn's lawyer issues warning as he's indicted for Reflecting Pool vandalism scandal
Mia Williams
Featured Image Credit: Shaun Botterill /Getty Images
David Hearn's lawyer has issued a statement after the former US Olympian was indicted by a grand jury yesterday (July 2) following accusations that he had damaged the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Prosecutors are claiming that the former Olympic canoeist caused over $1,000 in damage to the newly renovated pool with his 'bare hands', despite the 67-year-old pressing that the narrative against him is a 'lie'.
The allegations comes after President Trump's $16 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool, as part of his goal to beautify Washington, DC, ahead of America’s 250th anniversary on Saturday (July 4).
The bottom of the pool was painted 'American flag blue', but less than a month after the works concluded, the pool's water has began turning green from algae, while the paint quickly started peeling off.
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Hearn was one of six people arrested in connection with the crime.
US Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, announced the charges at a press conference on Thursday (July 2), saying Hearn will face 'accountability'.
But now, after defending himself for weeks, his attorneys, Norm Eisen and Mary Dohrmann, have issued a brutal warning.
"Davey Hearn is innocent," they wrote.
"These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American. This indictment reflects the Administration's effort to shift blame for their own failures."
The lawyers continued: "On the eve of our nation's Independence Day, Americans should be deeply concerned by the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a concocted narrative. The justice system exists to determine facts, not to provide political cover."
In a Truth Social post slamming the alleged vandals on June 20, Trump wrote: "Who would do such a thing? These are very serious crimes having to do with the destruction of National Monuments. Work will begin immediately on its repair."
He also warned that vandals can face up to ten years in prison for damaging public property.
Despite being formally charged, the 67-year-old claimed that he didn't do anything, and added while speaking to the New York Post: "By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs."
He added to the Daily Mail: "It's a completely unfounded accusation. We've already heard many lies from this administration…That's just another lie."