The
attorney for a Ridgefield man accused of partaking in the siege of the U.S.
Capitol on Jan. 6 is planning to use character witnesses to paint a different
picture of his client during Friday’s bond hearing.
The
U.S. Attorney’s Office says Patrick McCaughey III, 23, was seen on video
pushing a Capitol police officer into a doorway where he was crushed. McCaughey was held without bond
after
federal prosecutors argued that he's "violent" and "a
danger to the community."
But
documents filed this week by McCaughey's attorney describe the opposite. The
motion includes eight letters from neighbors, friends and former employers.
They're part of the push to get McCaughey released on bond.
One
wrote, "He is a kind young man, a true gentleman" adding "...he
has never been in any trouble with the law. He has been an honor student and
has been active in his town."
Patrick McCaughey III at the Capitol, Jan. 6
Another
said, "I cannot imagine what brought him to be involved in this event.
This is not the character of the young man I got to know and who I still
believe him to be."
A
third asked, "Please consider returning Patrick McCaughey back to his home
where he will be able to handle this process with the support of his family,
friends and those who know this man and what he is capable of accomplishing in
life."
Federal
prosecutors counter McCaughey is a flight risk because he's a dual citizen of
the United States and Germany.
Patrick McCaughey III at the Capitol, Jan. 6
They
wrote, "There is clear and convincing evidence that there are no
conditions or combinations of conditions which can effectively ensure the
safety of any other person and the community and reasonably assure the
appearance of the defendant."
McCaughey's
attorney is proposing a minimum real estate bond of $450,000 and surety bonds
of $250,000, He says McCaughey would be willing to wear a GPS tracking device
and surrender his passport, among other conditions.