Former Olympian seeks full grand jury record in Reflecting Pool damage case

David Hearn, a retired Olympian charged with harming the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, has asked a court to release the entire grand-jury transcript and the legal instructions given to jurors.

In a filing on Monday, attorneys for former three-time Olympian David Hearn requested that the government provide a full transcript of the closed-door grand-jury proceedings that led to his indictment for damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. Hearn, who entered a not-guilty plea to a felony property-destruction count, claims the grand jury was not given adequate proof of the $1,000-plus damage alleged, noting that a National Park Service witness said the pool was already leaking over a million gallons weekly and had an existing rip.

His team also seeks the legal instructions prosecutors gave jurors on the crime’s elements. The case stems from a multimillion-dollar renovation project promoted by President Donald Trump, who has blamed vandals while critics point to shoddy repairs. Hearn says he was detained for five hours after briefly touching a piece of the pool’s liner during a bike ride. A trial is set for Sept. 28 in D.C. Superior Court.