A Charlottesville man charged with assaulting a woman on the Rivanna Trail says he has compelling evidence that proves his innocence, but Charlottesville Police Chief Michael Kochis says his department is confident in their investigation and the charge.
“We wouldn’t have charged somebody if we didn’t think they did it, but we have to prove that,” Kochis told Charlottesville Right Now.
Patrick McNamara has been charged with one count of misdemeanor assault for an incident on the Rivanna Trail on Jan. 12. According to police, there were two separate assaults on the trail that day and a third, similar assault occurred in October. McNamara, 37, has been charged in only one of the Jan. 12 assaults. McNamara told the Daily Progress he has alibis for the times of both assaults that day, including location data from his phone and records of Zoom meetings that he was either participating in or leading for the Boston-based tech firm for which he works.
“I’ve been absolutely blindsided,” McNamara told the Progress, declaring he is “100 percent innocent” and that the impact on his life, including eviction from his apartment and time away from work as well is devastating.
McNamara confirmed the details of the Daily Progress reporting but declined an additional interview with WINA on Friday, citing advice from his newly retained attorney, Rhonda Quagliana.
Kochis said he is aware of McNamara’s claims.
“I know he has made some statements in reference to evidence he may have. Please turn that over to us,” he said. “We would love to see it.”
Police conducted a search of his residence and seized his phone. McNamara says when he went to retrieve his phone the day after his Jan 18 arrest, he offered to unlock the phone for police in order to speed its return to him. He said an officer insisted they use the formal subpoena process. McNamara said he is unaware of what led police to believe he is the man responsible for the assault.
Chief Kochis declined to provide any specific details on the evidence used to charge McNamara, but explained the process.
“We received the reports of two women who were assaulted around the same timeframe on the Rivanna Trail and obviously, that caused great concern,” he said. Police conducted an investigation and collected evidence that led to the charges against McNamara. “We…. had to present that evidence to a judge, and the judge after hearing that evidence, decided to issue an arrest warrant for this gentleman.”
Kochis said police are keeping that information private because of the investigation into the other two assaults.
“We have to investigate these, and we have to do it in a way that protects the investigation and protects the other victims and possible witnesses in this case,” he said.
WINA legal analyst Scott Goodman says it’s unusual for someone accused of a crime to speak so openly following their arrest.
“He’s either an innocent man or a very foolish man because to give interviews like he has given to newspaper reporters [in which he has] proclaimed his innocence and given his whole defense, established his alibi, answered all the questions, as I say, that has all the earmarks, all the markings of an innocent man because he’s really locked himself in,” Goodman said on Charlottesville Right Now.
Goodman said the investigations into the other two alleged assaults on the Rivanna Trail may be key.
“They could lead in a different direction, and that would be very interesting,” he said. “The police could have egg on their face at the end of this if it looks like they arrested the wrong person without a proper or more thorough investigation,” he said. “Or it could very well be that this was excellent police work and they jumped on it right away and they were as thorough as they needed or could be at the time and they have the right person. So we’ll have to see. It’s going to be one way or the other.”
Listen to the full interview the Police Chief Michael Kochis here.
Listen to the full interview with WINA legal analyst Scott Goodman here.
