A former Olympian charged with deliberately damaging the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is seeking access to all of the closed-door testimony that led to his indictment, pointing to “irregularities” in those grand jury proceedings.

In a court filing Monday, David Hearn’s attorneys requested an order for the government to turn over a complete transcript of all grand jury proceedings. They also want prosecutors to disclose the legal instructions they gave to grand jurors about the elements of Hearn’s alleged crime.

Hearn pleaded not guilty earlier this month to one felony count of property destruction and has a trial scheduled to start Sept. 28 in D.C. Superior Court. The charge, which carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years upon conviction, accuses Hearn of causing at least $1,000 in damage to the pool.

  • kylie_kraft@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    It makes sense when you know that the goal is to control the conversation about the reflecting pool. If we’re arguing over fake vandalism and unjust prosecutions, then we’re not arguing over the legal authority to make renovations to national landmarks, the no-bid contracts awarded to donors, or the shoddy rush job that actually caused the problem.

    It’s a similar tactic that’s been used when ICE murders, deports, or arrests legal residents and citizens. Immediately accuse them of being domestic terrorists and, if they’re still alive, charge them. Everyone starts arguing over the legitimacy of the accusations and charges instead of the fact that a government paramilitary full of undertrained goons is targeting people based primarily on skin color and language and refusing to backtrack because they have actual quotas on how many people they are required to abduct.

    • Dnb@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 days ago

      Yep it’s all about djt using the doj as his attack dog and making life hell for anyone who doesn’t bend the knee.

      It’s just insane amount of corruption, fraud and abuse from the admin