Charlottesville car attack suspect now charged with first-degree murder

The suspect and self-identified neo-Nazi involved with the death of Heather Heyer when he drove a vehicle into a crowd in Charlottesville, Va., was charged with first-degree murder on Thursday.

James Alex Fields Jr. had previously been charged with second-degree murder, but upon entering the courtroom Thursday for a preliminary hearing, prosecutor Joe Platania said his primary charge had been altered to first-degree murder, according to the Washington Post. Second-degree murder is only punishable by 5 to 40 years in prison; first-degree murder is punishable by 20 years to a lifetime prison sentence.