James Alex Fields Jr. is facing charges including second-degree murder after allegedly ramming his car into a crowd of people demonstrating against a rally held by white supremacists and others.
A judge declined to set bond for an Ohio man during his first court appearance after allegedly ramming a vehicle into a crowd of people demonstrating against a white supremacist rally Saturday in Charlottesville, Va.
Charlottesville resident Heather Heyer was killed, and at least 19 other people were in injured in the attack.
The Charlottesville Police Department said Saturday that James Alex Fields Jr., 20, of Maumee, Ohio, was charged with one count of second-degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of hit-and run.
During today’s Charlottesville court hearing, as NPR’s Debbie Elliott reports, Fields „appeared by video from jail, dressed in a gray and white-striped prison jumpsuit.“
Fields told Judge Robert Downer that he could not afford a lawyer. „Downer assigned a court-appointed attorney to represent Fields, and set another hearing for Aug. 25, “ Debbie adds. „Until then, the judge said, Fields would remain in jail with no bond in part because he has no ties to the area.“
The Associated Press adds that the judge told the court that the „public defenders‘ office informed him it could not represent Fields because a relative of someone in the office was injured in Saturday’s protest.“
