David Hearn, a former Olympic canoeist, pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of deliberately damaging the recently renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C. The 67-year-old Bethesda, Maryland resident made his initial court appearance in D.C. Superior Court following his indictment last week on a single felony count of property destruction.

During the hearing before Justice Carmen McLean, Hearn was released without court supervision while awaiting trial. A status conference was scheduled for August 5. Prosecutors indicated they were not seeking court supervision but requested a stay-away order, although the specific distance or locations to be avoided were not clarified in court.

Hearn’s defense, represented by lawyer Mary Dohrmann, argued against imposing supervision conditions, describing Hearn as an “upstanding citizen and member of the community.” Dohrmann characterized the government’s evidence as weak, suggesting the charges were politically motivated. Outside the courthouse, dozens of supporters gathered, many holding homemade signs in solidarity with Hearn.

The case arises amid controversy surrounding a $16 million renovation of the Reflecting Pool ordered by then-President Donald Trump ahead of the United States’ 250th anniversary celebrations. The renovation encountered multiple issues, including algae blooms controlled by chemical treatments and reports of peeling blue liner material floating on the pool’s surface. Trump alleged without presenting evidence that vandals had damaged the pool by dumping fertilizer and slashing the liner with a box cutter.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, the federal prosecutor overseeing the District of Columbia, indicated that six other individuals had been arrested on misdemeanor charges related to the renovation project. Pirro accused Hearn of causing over $1,000 in damage by removing newly installed sealant from the pool and exhibiting belligerent behavior toward a park employee who instructed him to stop.

Hearn, who competed in three Summer Olympics, previously told authorities that he was detained for five hours by National Guard troops and U.S. Park Police after stopping at the pool during a 103-kilometer bike ride on June 19. He maintained that he only briefly touched a piece of detached lining after it peeled, complying with a park worker’s request to release it.

The defense has called the indictment a “concocted narrative” and criticized it as an attempt by the administration to deflect responsibility for the renovation’s difficulties. They asserted that the justice system should focus on uncovering facts rather than serving political interests. The case remains pending as both sides prepare for further proceedings.