\n A former Olympic canoeist has been indicted by a grand jury in Washington, DC, Superior Court, for allegedly damaging the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.\n <\/p>\n
\n David Hearn was charged Thursday with one count of destruction of property with a value of more than $1,000, according to the indictment. The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, if convicted.\n <\/p>\n
\n The indictment said a DC grand jury found that Hearn \u201cmaliciously did injure, break and destroy certain property, that is, the lining material of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said at a news conference Thursday that Hearn \u201cripped\u201d part of the Reflecting Pool last month, and about two square feet of the pool\u2019s sealant was damaged.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cThe evidence shows, and we will prove beyond a reasonable doubt, that Hearn willfully destroyed property at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool,\u201d Pirro said, calling it as a \u201cdeliberate act.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cThis is a case with tremendous evidence,\u201d she added. \u201cAnd this is a case where the evidence dictates where we land next.\u201d Pirro said witnesses saw Hearn \u201cacting forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both hands.\u201d\n <\/p>\n
\n Hearn\u2019s attorney Norm Eisen blasted the indictment.\n <\/p>\n
\n \u201cDavey Hearn is innocent. These charges are outrageous and should be alarming to every American. This indictment reflects the Administration\u2019s effort to shift blame for their own failures,\u201d Eisen said in a statement. \u201cOn the eve of our nation\u2019s Independence Day, Americans should be deeply concerned by the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a concocted narrative.\u201d\n <\/p>\n