James A. Fields Jr., the neo-Nazi who plowed his vehicle into a group of counterprotesters at a white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, has been sentenced to life in prison. The jury deliberated for four hours before it delivered its sentencing.
The sentencing includes 70 years for each of five counts of aggravated malicious wounding; 20 years for each of three counts of malicious wounding; nine years for leaving the scene of a fatal crash; and a life sentence for first-degree murder. This breaks down to life plus 419 years. He also faces $480,000 in fines.
The life sentence was, of course, for the first-degree murder of Heather Heyer. Heyer, who was 32 and worked as a paralegal at a local law firm, died from blunt-force trauma to her torso as a result of being hit by Fields’ van. Nineteen other people were injured, some severely.
Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro, gave an emotional, incredible statement at the sentencing hearing. It was the first time she had confronted Fields. Of her daughter’s death, and the impact the sudden loss had on her family, Bro said:
”My family has been to therapy as the darkness has tried to swallow us whole. We are survivors, but we're much sadder survivors. Therapy only helps a little bit. My granddaughter used to Snapchat with Heather. Now she barely remembers her. … I can't concentrate. I can't read books. Some days I can't do anything but cry or sit and stare… Her death was like an explosion in the world.”
On Tuesday, after the jury was dismissed, Bro gave spoke on the steps of the courthouse.
“So many emotions, so many reactions, it’s really still hard to process,” she stated to the press. “So we move forward. We still have social justice work to do. . . . The things Heather died for, I’m not seeing a lot of progress in the last year and a half.”
Fields had a history of mental-health issues, including a diagnosis of bipolar disorder at the age of six, and later, of a schizoid personality disorder. Daniel Murrie, a University of Virginia psychologist, testified that Fields had a history of being a loner and having violent outbursts, and spent several periods in psychiatric facilities. Murrie said, however, that Fields didn’t meet the legal standard for not guilty by reason of insanity in Virginia.
To recap, Fields drove alone from his hometown in Ohio to Charlottesville in order to attend the rally. When his mother expressed concern for his safety, he texted her back, reassuring her that “We’re not the one[s] who need to be careful.” He attached a meme of Hitler. Later, on the phone to his mother from jail, he referred to Heyer as “that one girl who died, or whatever.” He also said “It doesn't fucking matter,” in reference to her death.
Fields, who did not take the witness stand, will be sent to a state penitentiary. After serving a certain amount of his sentence, he may be able to petition for geriatric release. Geriatric release would kick in after age 60. Otherwise, he will not be eligible for parole, per Virginia laws.
“Heather was full of love, justice and fairness,” Bro said in her testimony. “Mr. Fields tried to silence her... I refuse to let him.”