Killer of Counterprotester at Racist Rally Awaits Sentence

Convicted of first-degree murder for driving his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia, James Alex Fields Jr. faces 20 years to life in prison as jurors reconvene to consider his punishment. The panel that convicted Fields will hear more evidence on Dec. 10, 2018, before recommending a sentence for Judge Richard Moore. (Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail via AP, File)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — A man convicted of first-degree murder for driving his car into counterprotesters at a white nationalist rally in Virginia faces 20 years to life in prison as jurors reconvene to consider his punishment.

The panel that convicted James Alex Fields Jr. will hear more evidence Monday and then recommend a sentence to Judge Richard Moore.

Fields was convicted Friday of killing Heather Heyer during last year’s “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, organized to protest the planned removal of a statue of Confederal Gen. Robert E. Lee.

The 21-year-old Fields, of Maumee, Ohio, also was found guilty of injuring dozens of others by driving into a crowd of people who were marching peacefully after the rally.

Categories / Criminal

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