67 岁的前美国奥运皮划艇运动员戴维·赫恩（David Hearn）于周四在华盛顿特区联邦法院对故意破坏国家广场反射池的指控表示不认罪 [1][2]。检方指控他在今年 6 月 19 日恶意撕毁了该景点的新衬里，造成超过 1000 美元的损失并表现出敌意 [1][4]。赫恩否认了这些行为，称自己并未破坏任何东西 [2]。
该案因涉及特朗普政府斥巨资翻修林肯纪念堂倒影池却遭遇藻类爆发和涂层脱落等问题而备受政治关注 [1]。检方指出，该翻新项目耗资约 1600 万美元（另有报道指为 1470 万美元）[2][4]。华盛顿特区检察官珍妮·皮罗（Jeanine Pirro）表示，检方拥有“巨大证据”证明这位奥运选手曾“强力且暴力地”撕下池底衬里 [2]。
赫恩的辩护律师辩称，起诉是政府试图转移对其翻修项目失败的指责，旨在为政治责任提供掩护 [1][4]。一名律师称：“这项起诉反映了政府试图转移对其自身失败的指责。”[4] 特朗普此前曾声称有证据表明破坏者对池底新涂层造成了损坏，包括倾倒肥料和使用美工刀等行为 [1]。赫恩将于 8 月 5 日再次出庭受审 [2][3]。
Former Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty to felony charges of property destruction involving the Lincoln Memorial's reflecting pool on Thursday at a federal court in Washington, D.C. [1][2][3][4]. The 67-year-old athlete faces allegations that he maliciously damaged new linings installed during a renovation project costing approximately $13 million to $14.7 million [2][3][4]. Prosecutors allege Hearn caused over $1,000 in damages by forcefully removing the pool's bottom liner on June 19 and acting with hostility toward government property [1][2][4].
The case has drawn significant political attention following comments from former President Donald Trump. Trump alleged that vandals damaged the new coating of the reflecting pool without evidence supporting his claims, specifically citing fertilizer dumping and knife use as potential methods [1]. In response to these allegations, Hearn's defense team characterized the prosecution as a "fabricated story" intended to provide political cover for government failures rather than addressing criminal conduct [1][4].
Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. attorney for Washington D.C., stated during proceedings that prosecutors possessed "tremendous evidence" showing the Olympian had violently pulled up and removed the pool's bottom liner [2]. Hearn denied all accusations of vandalism to the facility, telling The Washington Post, "I didn't vandalize anything," while his attorneys argued the charges were a political stunt designed to distract from the renovation project's issues such as algae blooms and peeling coatings [1][4].
Hearn is scheduled to appear in court again on August 5 for further proceedings regarding this felony charge, which carries a potential sentence of up to ten years imprisonment if convicted [3][4].