Charlottesville killer pleads guilty to hate crimes
James Fields Jr. admits to ramming his car into a group of protesters in 2017, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer
The neo-Nazi who rammed his car into a group of counter-protesters at a far-right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer, pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes, months after a state court convicted him of murder.
James Fields Jr., who was 20 in August 2017 when he staged the attack, pleaded guilty Wednesday to 29 hate crimes after prosecutors removed a charge — racially motivated violent interference with a federally protected activity — that might have brought a death penalty. This reverses the not guilty plea he entered for the federal charges last year.
Fields will be sentenced this summer. The state jury in December recommended life plus 419 years.
William Barr, the U.S. attorney general, called Fields’ crime “domestic terrorism” and in a statement that referred to the mass murder earlier this month of 50 Muslim worshippers at a New Zealand mosque, allegedly carried out by a white supremacist.
“In the aftermath of the mass murder in New Zealand earlier this month, we are reminded that a diverse and pluralistic community such as ours can have zero tolerance for violence on the basis of race, religion, or association with people of other races and religions,” he said.
President Donald Trump has drawn criticism since the attack for his equivocal responses ascribing violence to both sides in the incident.
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
