CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Patrick McNamara says he continues to advocate for transparency and changes in the legal process to ensure these errors don’t happen again. He joined Courteney on Charlottesville Right Now to discuss his exoneration after another man has been accused of assaults. McNamara shared his experience being wrongfully charged with an assault on the Rivanna Trail in January. McNamara was initially accused but was later cleared when police and prosecutors withdrew the charges. His exoneration came after presenting evidence proving his innocence, but the case had lingering impacts on his life.

This week, a new arrest was for another person, the charges made for assaults similar to those from January, but police clarified that the recent incidents are not connected to the previous cases. McNamara shared his reactions and concerns about the differences in police handling of these cases, emphasizing the importance of accountability and process changes in law enforcement to prevent wrongful accusations. “I think the reaction, the response, the process has been very different and that’s what I’m really interested in the most.”

McNamara highlighted the emotional and logistical challenges he faced, from eviction proceedings to job suspension, and his ongoing struggle for justice and public acknowledgment of the mistakes made.