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David Hearn's legal team argues government witness testimony undermines felony vandalism charge

David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, faces a felony charge for allegedly damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, but his defense team argues the government's own witness undermines the case. A court filing revealed that a National Park Service official testified the pool area was already damaged and required repairs before Hearn touched it. The witness could not quantify any specific damage caused by Hearn, noting that the pool was already leaking and had preexisting rips in the liner. Because the felony charge requires Hearn to have caused over $1,000 in damages, the defense argues the indictment may be flawed. Hearn's lawyers are now seeking full grand jury transcripts to address irregularities in the proceedings. The case stems from a $16 million renovation project initiated by the administration, which faced setbacks including peeling paint and algae blooms. While President Trump blamed vandals for the issues, Hearn's supporters suggest the prosecution is a politically motivated attempt to deflect blame from the administration's renovation work.

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