CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - Two people who were with James Alex Fields Jr. 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, killing one.
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.
Prosecutors say Fields was there to support white nationalists and was angry when he intentionally struck the crowd of counterprotesters.
Fields' lawyers say he believed he was acting in self-defense when he drove into the crowd.
