A Charlottesville resident has filed a lawsuit against local law enforcement officers, alleging wrongful arrest and malicious prosecution. Patrick Joseph McNamara initiated the complaint on January 13, 2026, in the United States District Court for the Western District of Virginia, naming Chief Michael Kochis and three other officers from the Charlottesville Police Department as defendants.
The case revolves around an incident that occurred on January 12, 2024, when a woman identified as J.L. reported being assaulted while running on the Rivanna Trail in Charlottesville. She described her assailant as wearing a “white puffy jacket” and later identified McNamara as the suspect after his photograph circulated within her running group. The police allegedly failed to conduct a thorough investigation before arresting McNamara on January 18, 2024. Despite having access to surveillance footage that exonerated him, which showed another individual wearing the distinctive jacket committing the assault, the police proceeded with his arrest and publicized his image as the perpetrator.
McNamara’s complaint highlights several failures by law enforcement, including not pursuing alternative leads or reviewing available surveillance evidence promptly. The identification process was criticized for being informal and suggestive rather than following standard procedures designed to prevent misidentification. The plaintiff claims these actions led to significant personal and professional repercussions, including suspension from work and eviction threats.
McNamara seeks compensatory damages for loss of liberty, emotional distress, reputational harm, financial loss, and other damages incurred due to what he describes as gross negligence by the defendants. He also requests punitive damages to deter such misconduct in the future and coverage of legal fees under federal statutes.
Representing McNamara are attorneys Seth R. Carroll from Commonwealth Law Group LLC and M. Scott Fisher Jr. from Friedman Fisher Verity PLLC. The case is presided over by Judge JHY-JCH under Case ID 3:26-cv-00002-JHY-JCH.
Source: 326cv00002_McNamara_v_Kochis_Complaint_Western_District_Virginia.pdf
