James Alex Fields Jr, a neo-Nazi supporter who drove his car into counter-protesters at the white nationalist rally last year, was convicted of first-degree murder and nine other charges Friday afternoon.
BREAKING: Man who drove car into counterprotesters at white nationalist rally in Virginia convicted of first-degree murder.
— The Associated Press (@AP) December 7, 2018
Fields, 21, drove into the crowd at the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia which resulted in the death of Heather Heyer and left many others injured.
John Hill, Fields' attorney, attempted to argue that he became scared by the violence at the rally, panicked, and drove into the group. He also argued that he showed remorse.
However, prosecutors showed an image of a car driving into people that Fields posted to Instagram before the rally as well as surveillance of Fields driving slowly towards the crowd then backing up and speeding into them.
He was charged with first-degree murder over Heyer’s death and five counts of aggravated malicious wounding along with three counts of malicious wounding and one count of a felony hit and run.
Fields is also facing separate charges of 30 federal hate crimes.
He will be sentenced Monday morning and faces up to life in prison.