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Cleared Olympian requests federal watchdog review into dismissed Reflecting Pool vandalism case

David Hearn's legal team alleges prosecutors ignored exculpatory evidence after charges were dismissed with prejudice.

Updated Oct 6, 2026 · 20:51 UTC2 reports

The short version

Attorneys for Olympic canoeist David Hearn formally requested that internal watchdogs at the Justice and Interior departments investigate his arrest and prosecution.[CBS News]
Hearn was indicted on felony destruction of government property over alleged Reflecting Pool damage, but the case was dismissed with prejudice after findings that contractor error caused the issue.[CBS News · The Washington Sun]
His defense claims officials possessed clearing evidence for weeks before acting, while the Interior Department maintains Hearn admitted to tampering.[The Washington Sun]

Attorneys for David Hearn asked the Justice and Interior department inspectors general to review his arrest, indictment, and dismissal.[CBS News]
Hearn was indicted on a charge of felony destruction of government property regarding alleged vandalism at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.[CBS News]
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to drop charges after determining the pool damage resulted from a contractor's faulty installation.[CBS News]
D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman dismissed the indictment with prejudice, preventing prosecutors from refiling the felony charge.[The Washington Sun]
Hearn's lawyers claimed prosecutors ignored exculpatory evidence that was in Justice Department custody for weeks.[The Washington Sun]

The Justice Department's inspector general declined to comment on whether it will launch an investigation, and the Interior Department's inspector general did not immediately return requests for comment.[The Washington Sun]
The Interior Department claimed Hearn admitted to officers that he was tampering with the pool, while Hearn's lawyers disputed that characterization and stated he merely touched a loose liner.[The Washington Sun]

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.