EXCLUSIVE: Former Olympian David Hearn Accuses Jeanine Pirro of 'Unethical' Conduct in Trump's Reflecting Pool Case After Charges Are Dropped
David Hearn wants Jeanine Pirro to pay even after the charges were dropped.
Aug. 6 2026, Published 6:20 p.m. ET
Former Olympian David Hearn has launched a blistering attack against Interim U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro, accusing the former Fox News host of engaging in "unprofessional and unethical" conduct as he fights to permanently end the criminal case stemming from the high-profile Reflecting Pool controversy, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In a newly filed response obtained by Radar, Hearn does not oppose the government's request to dismiss the felony destruction-of-property charge against him. Instead, he is asking the court to dismiss the indictment with prejudice, arguing prosecutors should never be allowed to revive the case.
David Hearn Accuses Jeanine Pirro of Being 'Unprofessional'
Hearn is asking a judge to dismiss the Reflecting Pool indictment case against him.
Hearn's attorneys devoted a significant portion of the filing to criticizing Pirro's handling of the prosecution, alleging she violated Department of Justice ethics rules by publicly discussing evidence, commenting on Hearn's guilt, and overstating the strength of the government's case during press conferences after charges were filed.
The filing alleges Pirro "held an unprofessional and unethical press conference" in which she improperly bolstered the credibility of witnesses and publicly declared there was "tremendous evidence" against Hearn before the government ultimately moved to abandon the prosecution.
Hearn's attorneys also argue prosecutors rushed to secure the felony indictment before conducting a meaningful investigation into whether he caused any damage to the recently renovated Reflecting Pool at all.
David Hearn Wants Case Dismissed With Prejudice
Pirro previously insisted there was 'tremendous evidence' against Hearn.
According to the filing, prosecutors relied on unsworn statements and inconsistent grand jury testimony while ignoring evidence suggesting the pool's protective liner had already begun failing because of installation defects before Hearn was ever accused of vandalizing it.
The defense further contends the government possessed engineering reports, photographs, and internal assessments documenting widespread deterioration throughout the pool before the indictment was handed down, yet still pursued the case.
The filing argues prosecutors ignored readily available evidence undermining the government's vandalism theory and instead pressed forward with what Hearn characterizes as a politically motivated prosecution.
President Trump Goes Off on Jeanine Pirro
The Reflecting Pool liner was already failing due to installation defects, Hearn's team noted.
Hearn also claims political pressure surrounding the case has not disappeared simply because prosecutors now want to dismiss the indictment.
The ex-athlete's attorneys point directly to President Trump's recent public criticism of Pirro after she sought to dismiss the charges, noting he accused her of having "choked," "folded like an umbrella," and "made a mistake."
The defense argues those remarks demonstrate a genuine risk that prosecutors could attempt to resurrect the case in the future if the indictment is dismissed without prejudice.
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President Trump called out Pirro over the decision to drop the case, saying she 'choked' and 'folded like an umbrella'.
Hearn's attorneys further argued there was "no legitimate need for haste" in bringing the case, noting he was not detained and prosecutors faced no statute-of-limitations concerns, witness availability problems or other apparent urgency requiring an immediate indictment.
The defense claims prosecutors nevertheless chose to move forward before resolving what it called the central question of the case: whether Hearn actually damaged an intact liner or merely came into contact with material that had already failed because of defective installation.
The court has not yet ruled on whether the government's requested dismissal will permanently close the case
