Hearn defense says government failed to preserve pool evidence
D.C. Superior Court Judge Todd Edelman set the Sept. 28 trial date for David Hearn during a hearing Monday. It was Hearn’s second court appearance since a grand jury indicted him on a felony count of destruction of property.
Hearn, a former Olympic canoe racer, pleaded not guilty to the charge on July 9. His attorneys have since asked the court to dismiss the case, arguing in a court filing that the government failed to properly preserve important physical evidence from the Reflecting Pool.
At least three other people have been charged in the same court with misdemeanors for allegedly removing pieces of paint from the Reflecting Pool.
Trump, a Republican, ordered the pool’s renovation ahead of the country’s 250th independence celebrations, but the project has faced problems. Trump has claimed that vandals have damaged the pool, including its lining.