WATCH: Olympian pleads not guilty on Reflecting Pool damage charges
Three-time Olympic canoe racer David Hearn has pleaded not guilty to deliberately damaging the Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C.
The 67-year-old was met with cheers as he left the courthouse Thursday morning. He was indicted on a single felony count of property destruction last week.
Hearn says he reached into the pool to examine the peeled liner, but let go when told to do so by a park worker. His lawyer says the case against him is based on a concocted narrative.
President Donald Trump’s multimillion dollar renovation of the pool has been plagued with issues, including freshly formed algae and sealants peeling off.
The president has claimed without evidence that vandals slashed the pool sealant with a box cutter and U.S. attorney Jeanine Pirro has said that six others were arrested on related charges.
Hearn’s next hearing is scheduled for early August.
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