CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Jurors in the trial of a man accused of killing a woman and injuring dozens at a white nationalist rally are expected to hear closing arguments in the case after testimony from final defense witnesses.
James Alex Fields Jr. is charged with first-degree murder and other counts for driving his car into a crowd of counterprotesters in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017.
Closing arguments are expected Thursday afternoon after the defense calls its last witnesses.
Fields' lawyers don't dispute that he plowed his car into the counterprotesters, but say he feared for his life after witnessing violent clashes between the two sides earlier that day.
Prosecutors say Fields drove from his home in Maumee, Ohio, to support the white nationalists. They say he was angry and intentionally struck the counterprotesters.
Two Witnesses With Fields
Two people who were with Fields during a white nationalist rally have testified that he appeared calm less than 30 minutes before he drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports that Fields' lawyers called them to testify Wednesday during his trial on first-degree murder and other charges in the 2017 rally. One woman was killed and dozens more were injured.
One of the witnesses said counterprotesters yelled at them as they were walking. She said one man in their group yelled back, but Fields did not.
