Charlottesville White Nationalist Sentenced Again In Car Attack

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — Self-described white nationalist James Fields Jr., who drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters during the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, was sentenced Monday to life in prison plus 419 years and $480,000 in fines, on state charges. In March 2019 Fields pleaded guilty to the attack that killed Heather Heyer and injured more than two dozen others.

Fields — whom prosecutors said had long been fascinated by Adolph Hitler and the Holocaust — had participated in the "Unite the Right" rally on Aug. 12, 2017, before driving his Dodge Challenger directly into the crowd of protesters. His car struck numerous people, killing Heyer and injuring others.

In December 2018 Fields was sentenced to life in prison on federal hate charges. The Associated Press reported that prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty in exchange for Fields' plea.

Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney Joseph Platania, told NPR, "While there is no true closure that this process is able to provide, we are hopeful that today's sentence is the first step forward for some as they try and begin to heal."

Attorneys had argued at trial that Fields acted in self-defense, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. A psychologist for the defense testified that Fields was diagnosed as a child with bipolar disorder and schizoid personality disorder.

"I apologize for the hurt and loss I've caused," Fields told the court on June 28 at his initial sentencing, WTOP reports. "Every day I think about how things could have gone differently and how I regret my actions. I'm sorry."

Heyer's mother, Susan Bro, said in June that she wanted Fields to spend his life in prison but also hoped he would change his views and no longer support white supremacy. "I hope he can heal someday and help others heal," Bro said.

Authorities said Fields kept a photo of Nazi Germany leader Hitler next to his bed and was excited to go on a tour of the Dachau concentration camp where thousands were killed by the Germans.

FBI Special Agent Wade Douthit said Fields told a high school classmate on the trip to Dachau, "This is where the magic happened."

The classmate said when Fields viewed the camp's gas chamber he said, "It's almost like you can still hear them screaming," the AP reported.

The jury's recommended sentence includes 70 years each for five counts of aggravated malicious wounding, 20 years each for three counts of malicious wounding and nine years for leaving the scene of a fatal crash, The Washington Post reported.