Neo-Nazi sentenced to life in prison for Charlottesville car attack

By Keya Vakil

June 28, 2019

Nearly two years after he drove his car into a crowd of counterprotestors during a white nationalist rally, killing one and injuring 35, James Alex Fields Jr. has been sentenced to life in prison for 29 federal hate crimes.

The Washington Post reports that Fields, an avowed neo-Nazi, apologized in court as a judge sentenced him to life in prison on hate crime charges for his attack during the 2017 Unite the Right Rally in Charlottesville.

Fields pled guilty in March to attack that killed Heather Heyer and prosecutors agreed to drop their request for the death penalty in return.

Fields’ attorneys asked for a sentence of less than life in prison and he himself apologized for his actions on Friday, but the Judge rejected his and his attorneys request.

Instead, Fields will spend the rest of his life in prison. He will also face sentencing in state court on July 15, and the Post reports that a jury has recommended life plus 419 years.

Photo © Rodney Dunning

Keya Vakil

Keya Vakil is the deputy political editor at COURIER. He previously worked as a researcher in the film industry and dabbled in the political world.

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