Witness: Lincoln Memorial pool damaged before Hearn incident, fueling legal dispute over indictment

A witness testified that the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool had substantial preexisting damage before former Olympic canoeist David Hearn allegedly touched it, raising defense claims of irregular grand jury proceedings and challenging the indictment’s damage figure; Hearn has pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of property destruction, with a trial set for Sept. 28, and repair estimates for the preexisting damage range from $6,000 to $15,000.