The man who ran his car into a group of counterprotesters at the Unite the Right rally last year in Charlottesville, Va., was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday.
James Fields Jr., 21, was sentenced by a jury to life for one count of first-degree murder, 70 years for each of the five counts of aggravated malicious wounding, 20 years for each of the three counts of malicious wounding, and nine years for fleeing the scene of a fatal crash, according to the Washington Post.
The overall sentence amounted to life plus 419 years and $480,000 in fines.
Fields, self-avowed neo-Nazi, drove a car into a group of people protesting the Unite the Right rally on Aug. 12, 2017, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injuring 35 others.
The jurors convicted Fields of the 10 offenses Friday in Charlottesville Circuit Court, and Judge Richard Moore said he will formally sentence Fields on March 29, at which point he can impose a lesser punishment but cannot increase the sentences outlined by the jurors.
In the hearing, Fields’ lawyers said that the 21-year-old was acting out of fear for his safety and was trying to protect himself.
Charlottesville’s chief prosecutor said that the outcome of the trial was a “long time coming” for those affected by the August 2017 attack.
“We are unable to heal their physical injuries or bring Heather back. But we are hopeful they’ll be able to take some comfort and solace from these verdicts and sentences,” Joe Platania told reporters outside the courthouse.
