Charlottesville car rammer found guilty of first-degree murder

AndreyPopov/iStock(NEW YORK) — The man who rammed his car into a crowd at the Charlottesville rally in 2017 where one counter-protester was killed and others injured has been found guilty of first-degree murder.

Suspect James Alex Fields was on trial for the death and injuries he is accused of causing when he drove his car into a crowd of counter-protesters.

His lawyer said in court that Fields was “scared to death” after the Unite the Right rally turned violent and clashes had broken out between protesters and counter-protesters, and they built their case around the claim that he was acting in self defense.

The 10 charges he faced in this trial in the Charlottesville City Circuit Court are separate from the 30 federal charges he faces that relate to hate crimes. One of those federal charges is eligible for the death penalty. He entered a not guilty plea in both the Circuit Court case and to the federal charges.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

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