Olympian David Hearn’s Lawyers Seek probes into DOJ and DOI Conduct

Olympic canoeist David Hearn’s legal team has formally requested that inspectors general within the Departments of Justice and Interior investigate the circumstances surrounding his arrest, indictment, and the subsequent dismissal of his case. In a letter obtained by CBS News, Hearn’s attorneys alleged that high-ranking officials deprived him of his liberty and damaged his reputation.

Hearn gained national attention after being accused of vandalizing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. He was initially detained for five hours on June 19 while on a bike ride. According to court documents, Hearn touched a loose liner in the water before being asked by National Park Police to remove his hand. His lawyers stated that during his detention, he was not read his Miranda rights nor allowed to make a phone call. He only discovered he faced misdemeanor charges when he found citations in a paper bag after his release.

A grand jury later indicted Hearn on a felony count of destruction of government property on July 2. However, D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro moved to dismiss the case by late July, citing new information indicating the damage resulted from a contractor’s faulty installation rather than intentional vandalism.

In their request for oversight, Hearn’s attorneys cited Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and President Donald Trump alongside Pirro as officials whose actions led to what they described as