Local Charge upgraded to first-degree murder for driver accused of ramming Charlottesville crowd

Yep..

Things like
The video shows counterprotesters gathered at Fourth and Water streets in downtown Charlottesville. A black pickup truck approaching the crowd pulled to the side of the road. A maroon van then stopped on the street in front of the crowd, and a Toyota Camry stopped behind the van. Fields’s Dodge approached the Camry from behind at a moderate speed. It then backed up, traveling more than a block, before accelerating forward at a rapid clip, ramming into the back of the Camry. Heyer and numerous other people were standing near the vehicles, and the collision sent bodies flying.

This should have never have happened.. Since when can "counterprotesters" block roads leaving multiple cars no where to go.

 

You are conflating "lack of association to a white nationalist group" with "no motive."

 

the video if him driving his vehicle into the crowd, i seriously doubt it was accidental.

 

Which makes me ask, how does the prosecutor hope to get first degree murder?

 

That's possible. I don't see how he could have escaped a second degree murder charge, but first degree is another matter. The legal clause in the Code of Virginia is somewhat murky (I put it in bold face below):

"Any willful, deliberate, and premeditated killing".

I hate to sound like Bill Clinton, but the word "and" could be problematic here. If the clause contained "or" instead of "and" I think they could get a first degree charge to stick on the killing being "willful", but the use of "and" might require "deliberate" AND "premeditated" in addition to "willful".

Unfortunately, I don't know where precedent stands because that would probably clear up the ambiguity I perceive here.

 

A good point, but that would require an insanity defense. That said, it's not unusual that nutjobs are attracted to nutty causes.

 

I'm not saying he wasn't but this entire story revolves around white nationalists coming to town to rally for a statue to stay and then some agitators came along, then this turd sack decided to run his car into them all on his own. He had no affiliation with the people there like we're being told. Any white guy could have gone and rubbed elbows with them.

 

Yup, and in my own unprofessional opinion Fields strikes me as a nutjob.

 

It is probably smart to go for first degree murder so long as the jury can elect to convict on a lesser charge.

 

they set it at murder 1 because they want to settle for murder 2.

classic art of the deal.

 

What were his political aims?

Note: I'd love to start charging violent people who fit the definition of a terrorist with terrorism. He's lacking a political motive though.

 

No am am showing how lack of evidence of motive is lack of motive as far as a trial is concerned Mr Pretend Lawyer.

 

Agreed. Still, he murdered an American citizen and tried to kill others too.

 

The video shows counterprotesters gathered at Fourth and Water streets in downtown Charlottesville. A black pickup truck approaching the crowd pulled to the side of the road. A maroon van then stopped on the street in front of the crowd, and a Toyota Camry stopped behind the van. Fields’s Dodge approached the Camry from behind at a moderate speed. It then backed up, traveling more than a block, before accelerating forward at a rapid clip, ramming into the back of the Camry. Heyer and numerous other people were standing near the vehicles, and the collision sent bodies flying.

That video showing he was four in line of cars blocked by "counter protesters".. That video?

 

He hated AntiFa? If he drove into the Nazi crowd, would you still think he lacked a political motive?

 

That was said in other heated cases lately and people have gotten off.

 

That has never happened at any demonstration/counter-demonstration I have participated in and it should have never happened in C'ville on August 12.

As a Virginian, I am seriously peeved that no state body, including the General Assembly which isn't beholden to the governor, has investigated Singer and McAuliffe's dereliction of duty and held them accountable for their actions (or lack thereof). Furthermore, the DOJ could look into this matter since it does concern people's civil rights but I haven't seen any sign of anyone in Washington looking into this. It's outrageous, and I'm hardly the only Virginian who is irate about this.

 

There were several videos of the incident. Only a few showed the car being pursued closely by a weapon wielding mob.

Those videos were taken down, but they will be available at trial. It will depend on his explanation for why he was driving down that street toward the crowd. He may have talked himself into a conviction - happens all the time.

 

Just because there was no apparent affiliation does not rule out motivation.

For starters there are images of him standing with the white supremacist nazis so that alone is an affiliation.

Then there is the lack of brake lights making the action deliberate and malicious. If he had braked beforehand there could be the excuse that it was accidental but his failure to brake, caught on video, demonstrates a clear intent to kill.

On top of that is fleeing from the crime scene with callous disregard for the lives of those he was backing up over. Fleeing the scene is knowledge of guilt which also goes towards motivation.

 

Hey if they can show he intended to kill people he was opposed to i hope he rots in jail. However the conditions around him WILL be brought up by the defense.

 

Which is why I think he should be facing a capital murder charge...

 

That's how Zimmerman walked, he wasn't a murderer. If these people would go by the effing law and convict on the proper basis then the walking wouldn't happen. We either have people that are prejudiced or we have idiots that can't determine which law fits. Either way, it looks like there needs to be change in personnel to look for honest and smart people.

 

Since they were told to stay the course in 2014.

 

No doubt about it, and the fact that the street wasn't blocked off will only help the defense.

One more reason why Singer and McAuliffe deserve the Commonwealth's boot up their asses...

 

Good to hear.

That said, a vociferous Trump Supporter with a blatant disregard for human life (acting on Trump's Agenda) should surprise no one.

Once again great to hear Murder One.