Charlottesville Attacker and Murderer of Heather Heyer Sentenced to Life in Prison

James A. Fields Jr., the man who drove a car into a group of counter-protestors in Charlottesville’s “Unite the Right” protest in 2017, resulting in the injury of dozens and the death of 32-year-old Heather Heyer, was sentenced to life in prison in his federal hate crimes case Friday.

“I’d like to apologize. I apologize to my mother for putting her through all of this. Every day I think about my actions and how this could have gone differently. I’m sorry,” said Fields before his sentencing, though apologies don’t mean much, if anything, at this point.

“He’s the least sincere person I’ve ever met,” said Heyer’s mother, Susan Bro. She stated her satisfaction with the life sentence, and said that although Fields probably deserved the death penalty, “it wouldn’t accomplish anything.”

Bro added that she hopes Fields’ sentencing sends an important to members of hate groups. “You don’t get away with it, there are serious consequences to this,” she said. “Theoretically, he caused a lot of harm to the white supremacist movement, for that I’m glad.”