By admin 
Olympic canoeist David Hearn pleaded not guilty in Washington, DC, Superior Court Thursday to damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.
Hearn, 67, was indicted on July 2 on one count of destruction of property of more than $1,000 for allegedly damaging the Reflecting Pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
The felony charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, if convicted.
“The government’s evidence is weak,” Mary Dohrmann, an attorney for Hearn, said at the hearing Thursday.
His attorneys also invoked his right to a speedy trial, but the judge said because of the court’s calendar she couldn’t hold a trial till February 2027.
No trial date was set. His next hearing is scheduled for August 5.
The arrest of Hearn and others followed the Trump administration recasting the peeling bottom layer and algae growth in the Reflecting Pool shortly after its renovation as serious vandalism.
A large group of supporters gathered outside the courthouse carrying signs and changing “free Davie.”
Three other people accused of damaging the Reflecting Pool pleaded not guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor charges of destruction of property with a value less than $1,000. They were ordered to stay away from the Reflecting Pool.
Crews began draining the Reflecting Pool over the weekend to make repairs, according to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, for the second time in three months.
The move comes after weeks of problems — algae blooms, green-hued water, a chipping bottom and the administration’s allegations of vandalism — have plagued the iconic landmark.
Read more The Iran ceasefire was meant to pave the way for a grand nuclear deal. New strikes expose its flaws
This story is developing and will be updated.