Former Olympian David “Davey” Hearn could sue the federal government as prosecutors drop felony charges that he damaged the Reflecting Pool.
An attorney on his legal team spoke with News4 on Monday, after federal prosecutors announced they’re dropping charges against him.
“All options are on the table. For now, we’re focused on getting the case dismissed,” said Norman Eisen, chairman of the Democracy Defenders Fund. “The counsel team is actively discussing what, if any, next steps will follow that.
After more than $14 million was spent to change the color of the Reflecting Pool, the new liner began peeling off. President Donald Trump blamed vandals, and four people were arrested, including Hearn, a three-time Olympic athlete who was the only person charged with a felony.
Hearn has insisted upon his innocence since the day he was arrested. He said he was riding his bike in June when he touched a piece of the coating that already was detached.
At the time of his indictment, U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said in no uncertain terms that Hearn was a vandal.
“He damaged the pool,” she said.
On Friday, her office filed a motion with the court seeking to dismiss the charges, writing that the damage was not caused by Hearn and others but instead was “a result of flawed installation by the contractor.” Prosecutors wrote that the Department of Interior had not told them about the issues with the installation.
Eisen said he finds that hard to believe.
“It is very hard to accept...
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