Trial of Conn. man accused of pinning officer in Capitol riot begins Monday

Patrick McCaughey III, a Ridgefield man accused of crushing a police officer in a doorway during the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol building, has waived his right to a jury trial and will instead have his case heard before a federal judge starting Monday in Washington D.C., his lawyer said.

In a statement ahead of the trial, McCaughey’s Stamford-based lawyer, Lindy Urso, described the Department of Justice’s pursuit of Jan. 6 cases as a “witch hunt”— using a phrase popularized by former President Donald Trump.

“Pat certainly made a poor choice or two, but he is far from the criminal the DOJ has portrayed him to be in its press release and we are confident that will be clear after trial,” he added.

McCaughey was initially ordered detained but was later released on bond with stringent conditions.

Authorities allege that during the deadly breach of the Capitol, which saw a mob descend on the building intent on stopping the certification of the 2020 vote confirming Joe Biden as president, McCaughey was among the rioters who tried to storm the building through an entrance at the lower west terrace.

The rioters attempted to break through the doorway defended by a group of police, according to the government’s court filings. During the scuffle, McCaughey was allegedly caught on camera pinning Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges against the door frame with a clear plastic riot shield, while another riot yanked Hodges’ gas mask off, exposing his bloodied mouth.

McCaughey has been charged with assaulting an officer, civil disorder, violent entry or disorderly conduct, and entering a restricted building or grounds, according to the Department of Justice.

A court filing last week shows Urso plans to argue his client’s use of the shield does not constitute a “deadly or dangerous weapon,” as the government has argued.

If McCaughey “was using the defensive riot shield defensively and not in a manner likely to cause serious physical injury or death, then he ought not be convicted of the subject counts,” Urso wrote in his Aug. 24 trial brief.

Prosecutors argued in their brief meanwhile that “some of the most violent assaults on law enforcement officers” on Jan. 6 occurred at the lower west terrace doors, “as rioters sieged the doors for hours attempting to storm the Capitol building.”

Hodges, the Metropolitan officer McCaughey was accused of assaulting during the riot, has since become outspoken about the riot. In testimony before the House select committee, Hodges recalled his platoon of officers in riot-control gear being attacked as they made their way to the west terrace from another post. Once they arrived at a line of officers, Hodges told lawmakers they took stock, as rioters sprayed police with pepper spray. The line broke down, and Hodges said police were forced to retreat back to the entrance to the Capitol.

Since McCaughey’s arrest on Jan. 19, 2021, eight other co-defendants have been added to the case. At least two of those co-defendants were scheduled to appear for trial before U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden on Monday morning, according to the District of Columbia’s court calendar. Those defendants are Tristan Chandler Stevens and David Mehaffie.

Three other defendants in the case, Geoffrey Sills, 31; Robert Morss, 29; and David Lee Judd, 36 were convicted during a bench trial before Judge McFadden last week, WUSA9 reported.

McCaughey’s trial comes days after a Connecticut resident authorities said had a “secret” level security clearance in his work as a submarine engineer pleaded guilty to a charge related to Jan. 6.