Charlottesville boosts attack charge
Protest driver faces first-degree murder
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — The man accused of driving into a crowd protesting a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville faces a new charge of first-degree murder. At a court hearing Thursday prosecutors presented surveillance video and other evidence against him.
Prosecutors announced at the start of a preliminary hearing for James Alex Fields that they were seeking to upgrade the seconddegree murder charge he previously faced in the Aug. 12 collision in Charlottesville that left 32-year-old Heather Heyer dead and dozens injured. The judge agreed to that and ruled there is probable cause for all charges against Fields to proceed.
Fields’ case will now be presented to a grand jury for an indictment.
Authorities say the 20-yearold, described by a former teacher as having a keen interest in Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler, drove his speeding car into a group of counterprotesters the day of the “Unite the Right” rally that drew hundreds of white nationalists from around the country. The attack came after the rally in this Virginia college town had descended into chaos and authorities had forced the crowd to disband.
Surveillance footage from a Virginia State Police helicopter, played by prosecutors in court, captured the moment of impact by the car and the cursing of the startled troopers on board. The video then showed the car as it reversed, drove away and eventually pulled over. The helicopter had been monitoring the violence, and prosecutors questioned Charlottesville Police Det. Steven Young about the video as it played.
Another surveillance video from a restaurant showed the car head slowly in what Young testified was the direction of the counterprotesters, who were not in view of the camera. The car reversed before speeding forward into the frame again.
Fields’ attorney Denise Lunsford did not present evidence or make any arguments at the hearing, although she did crossexamine the detective.