Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

Rogue Valley · Jun 23, 2019

Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

Attorneys for James Alex Fields Jr seek less than life sentence.

2019-03-27T172623Z_3_LYNXNPEF2Q1CW_RTROPTP_2_VIRGINIA-PROTESTS.JPG

Flowers in memory of murdered activist Heather Heyer.

6/23/19
The self-avowed white supremacist who plowed his car into counter-protesters opposing a white nationalist rally in Virginia two years ago, killing one and injuring dozens, has asked a judge for mercy and a sentence shorter than life in prison. Lawyers for James Alex Fields Jr, 22, said in a sentencing memo submitted in court documents on Friday the defendant should not spend his entire life in prison because of his age, a traumatic childhood and a history of mental illness. Fields pleaded guilty to federal hate crimes in March and is set to be sentenced on 28 June. “No amount of punishment imposed on James can repair the damage he caused to dozens of innocent people. But this court should find that retribution has limits,” his attorneys wrote.

Prosecutors countered that the avowed anti-Semite and admirer of Adolf Hitler has shown no remorse since he drove the car into the a crowd on 12 August 2017, killing anti-racism activist Heather Heyer and injuring others. Prosecutors said Fields deserves a life sentence, adding that would help deter others from committing “similar acts of domestic terrorism”. Under a plea deal, federal prosecutors agreed not to pursue the death penalty. The charges he pleaded guilty to call for life in prison under federal sentencing guidelines. Prosecutors focused on years of documented racist and antisemitic behavior by Fields, which they said included keeping a picture of Hitler on his bedside table. They also said in court documents he was recorded on a jail phone call making disparaging remarks about Heyer’s mother as recently as last month. Prosecutors also said that while Fields has a history of mental illness issues, it doesn’t excuse his behavior in a way that would require a lenient sentence. “Any mental health concerns raised by the defendant do not overcome the defendant’s demonstrated lack of remorse and his prior history of substantial racial animus,” they wrote.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, James Fields agreed in March to plead guilty to 1st Degree Murder and receive a life sentence rather than take his chances at a bench/jury trial.

Scum like Fields need to be incarcerated forever as a message to all who seek to kill those who oppose their ideology of hate.

Related: Driver convicted in Charlottesville death seeks leniency as sentencing looms

OrphanSlug · Jun 23, 2019

A plea deal has nothing to do with making an example of anyone, it is about disposing of a case without the pitfalls of trial and jury uncertain conclusion.

Depending on circumstance the judge could reject the plea and force another outcome but that seems unlikely.

As for his representation writing an argument for the court, that is nothing new or newsworthy. What the judge does with it might be but that is also unlikely in this case.

Rogue Valley · Jun 23, 2019

OrphanSlug said:
A plea deal has nothing to do with making an example of anyone, it is about disposing of a case without the pitfalls of trial and jury uncertain conclusion.

No one would be making "an example" of Fields. He is an admitted murderer who agreed to a life sentence in March.

OrphanSlug · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
No one would be making "an example" of Fields. He is an admitted murderer who agreed to a life sentence in March.

So what are you upset about?

trouble13 · Jun 23, 2019

He should be shown the same type of lienency that smollett recieved for his hate crime.

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MovingPictures · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

Attorneys for James Alex Fields Jr seek less than life sentence.

Flowers in memory of murdered activist Heather Heyer.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, James Fields agreed in March to plead guilty to 1st Degree Murder and receive a life sentence rather than take his chances at a bench/jury trial.

Scum like Fields need to be incarcerated forever as a message to all who seek to kill those who oppose their ideology of hate.

Related: Driver convicted in Charlottesville death seeks leniency as sentencing looms

Nickyjo · Jun 23, 2019

trouble13 said:
He should be shown the same type of lienency that smollett recieved for his hate crime.

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

Obvious parallels to the two cases. &#55358;&#56618;

Rogue Valley · Jun 23, 2019

OrphanSlug said:
So what are you upset about?

I'm not upset. I believe Fields deserves precisely what he agreed to ... a life sentence without parole.

He tried to kill many people that day. IMHO he deserves no leniency whatsoever.

Bodi · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

Attorneys for James Alex Fields Jr seek less than life sentence.

Flowers in memory of murdered activist Heather Heyer.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, James Fields agreed in March to plead guilty to 1st Degree Murder and receive a life sentence rather than take his chances at a bench/jury trial.

Scum like Fields need to be incarcerated forever as a message to all who seek to kill those who oppose their ideology of hate.

Related: Driver convicted in Charlottesville death seeks leniency as sentencing looms

You think that will be a big deterrent to the mentally ill? They will think logically about the consequences, eh?

Phys251 · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

Attorneys for James Alex Fields Jr seek less than life sentence.

Flowers in memory of murdered activist Heather Heyer.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, James Fields agreed in March to plead guilty to 1st Degree Murder and receive a life sentence rather than take his chances at a bench/jury trial.

Scum like Fields need to be incarcerated forever as a message to all who seek to kill those who oppose their ideology of hate.

Related: Driver convicted in Charlottesville death seeks leniency as sentencing looms

Fields is pure human trash. He deserves to spend the rest of his worthless life behind bars.

Crystal · Jun 23, 2019

Why was it first degree murder?

Rogue Valley · Jun 23, 2019

Bodhisattva said:
You think that will be a big deterrent to the mentally ill? They will think logically about the consequences, eh?

The defense didn't claim any mental illness. Try again.

Bodi · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
The defense didn't claim any mental illness. Try again.

"Lawyers for James Alex Fields Jr, 22, said in a sentencing memo submitted in court documents on Friday the defendant should not spend his entire life in prison because of his age, a traumatic childhood and a history of mental illness."

Your turn...

Rogue Valley · Jun 23, 2019

Crystal said:
Why was it first degree murder?

1st degree murder involves any intentional murder that is willful and premeditated with malice aforethought.

Fields knew when he started his car and began speeding towards a crowd of people that someone would probably die.

Rogue Valley · Jun 23, 2019

Bodhisattva said:
"Lawyers for James Alex Fields Jr, 22, said in a sentencing memo submitted in court documents on Friday the defendant should not spend his entire life in prison because of his age, a traumatic childhood and a history of mental illness."

Your turn...

Then they should have gone to trial and utilized an insanity defense. Obviously, they didn't feel it compelling enough.

Your turn...

Crystal · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
1st degree murder involves any intentional murder that is willful and premeditated with malice aforethought.

Fields knew when he started his car and began speeding towards a crowd of people that someone would probably die.

Then he deserves the death penalty.

Bodi · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
Then they should have gone to trial and utilized an insanity defense. Obviously, they didn't feel it compelling enough.

Your turn...

You said that they did not claim a mental illness defense... I showed the the Defense DID claim mental illness during the defense. You are wrong. Own it and move on as a better person.

Rogue Valley · Jun 23, 2019

Bodhisattva said:
You said that they did not claim a mental illness defense... I showed the the Defense DID claim mental illness during the defense. You are wrong. Own it and move on as a better person.

Did they present an insanity defense in a bench/jury trial? Yes or no? No.

Bringing up mental/upbringing issues as a sentencing mitigating factor is not equivalent to presenting a "not guilty by reason of insanity" (NGRI) or "guilty but insane" trial defense.

Try yet again.

trouble13 · Jun 23, 2019

Nickyjo said:
Obvious parallels to the two cases. &#55358;&#56618;

Im glad its obvious to you. I thought i was gonna haffta to explain it to every lefty on the board mutiple times.

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Bodi · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
Did they present an insanity defense in a bench/jury trial? Yes or no? No.

Bringing up mental/upbringing issues as a sentencing mitigating factor is not equivalent to presenting a "not guilty by reason of insanity" (NGRI) or "guilty but insane" trial defense.

Try yet again.

Now you are just trolling... I said he was mentally ill. You said did the defense use that. They did. Sentencing is part of the Court Case and hence the Defense's defense in representing their client. I said nothing of "not guilty by reason of insanity"... you added that (moving the goal posts). So either you are trolling or you don't understand how court cases work... not to mention that I never made an insanity claim... merely one that mentally ill people would probably not think logically about their actions, or the consequences associated with them, since they are mentally ill.

Checkerboard Strangler · Jun 23, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

Attorneys for James Alex Fields Jr seek less than life sentence.

Flowers in memory of murdered activist Heather Heyer.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, James Fields agreed in March to plead guilty to 1st Degree Murder and receive a life sentence rather than take his chances at a bench/jury trial.

Scum like Fields need to be incarcerated forever as a message to all who seek to kill those who oppose their ideology of hate.

Related: Driver convicted in Charlottesville death seeks leniency as sentencing looms

Never see the light of day again.

TrueScotsman · Jun 23, 2019

Bodhisattva said:
Now you are just trolling... I said he was mentally ill. You said did the defense use that. They did. Sentencing is part of the Court Case and hence the Defense's defense in representing their client. I said nothing of "not guilty by reason of insanity"... you added that (moving the goal posts). So either you are trolling or you don't understand how court cases work... not to mention that I never made an insanity claim... merely one that mentally ill people would probably not think logically about their actions, or the consequences associated with them, since they are mentally ill.

You don't know much about mental illness. People with mood disorders aren't so impaired that they kill people. I think it has more to do with the picture of Hitler that was next to his bed. Did Mr. Field not understand he would kill someone and stand trial? No, he had obvious hateful intent.

It is sad that people with mental illness are in this period of their life vulnerable to these ideologies, my brother who has pretty severe mental illnesses committed a hate crime in his teenage years after he converted to Neo-Nazism. That doesn't absolve him, but it should inform our policy approaches on how to address the spread of hateful ideologies, and that we should treat mental illness as soon as possible in adolescence. As for James, he has no remorse, no psychopathy, and would continue to be a danger to society. Lock him up for good.

Nickyjo · Jun 23, 2019

trouble13 said:
Im glad its obvious to you. I thought i was gonna haffta to explain it to every lefty on the board mutiple times.

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Look up irony...

trouble13 · Jun 24, 2019

Nickyjo said:
Look up irony...

Right after you look up sarcasm

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AmNat · Jun 24, 2019

Rogue Valley said:
Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

Attorneys for James Alex Fields Jr seek less than life sentence.

Flowers in memory of murdered activist Heather Heyer.

In a plea deal with prosecutors, James Fields agreed in March to plead guilty to 1st Degree Murder and receive a life sentence rather than take his chances at a bench/jury trial.

Scum like Fields need to be incarcerated forever as a message to all who seek to kill those who oppose their ideology of hate.

Related: Driver convicted in Charlottesville death seeks leniency as sentencing looms

Fields hasn't been accused of targeting anyone based on membership in a protected class (the legal definition of a "hate crime"). He's been prosecuted under the federal statute based on having:

1. Committed a murder (he didn't, but that's besides the point I'm making here), and
2. Prior to committing the murder, engaged in thought crime ("hate").

There was a time when liberals would be horrified at the idea of a person being prosecuted for holding unpopular opinions. Those days are past, apparently.

Charlottesville white supremacist who killed protester asks judge for mercy

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