James Fields Convicted of Murdering Heather Heyer at Charlottesville Rally

James Alex Fields Jr. was convicted for murder and faces at least 20 years to life in the killing of a woman during a Charlottesville, Virginia white supremacist rally.

Fields, 21, was found guilty on all counts, including first-degree murder in connection to Heather Heyer’s death in August 2017, NBC News reported. He was also convicted of five counts of aggravated malicious wounding, three counts of malicious wounding, and one hit and run charge.

He was found to have run over several people, including Heyer, with his Dodge Challenger.

Additionally, he was charged with 30 federal hate crimes. Fields will still face trial for these charges, according to the report.

A jury found Fields, of Ohio, deliberately rammed his vehicle into a crowd after the “Unite the Right” rally on Aug. 12, 2017.

Fields will be sentenced at a later date.

His attorney, John Hill, argued that Fields panicked and drove his car into the group after hours of brawls breaking out in the streets between protesters and counter-protesters.

“He thought people were after him,” another defense attorney, Denise Lunsford, told CNN. “The difference between a joyful crowd and an angry mob lies in the beholder.”

James Alex Fields Jr., (2nd L with shield) is seen attending the "Unite the Right" rally in Emancipation Park in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12, 2017. REUTERS/Eze Amos

Prosecutor Nina-Alice Antony described Fields as a hate-filled man who idled his car for three minutes before backing up and speeding his vehicle into the crowd, Fox News reported. She also made reference to a text message that he sent a day before the rally. He shared a photo of Adolf Hitler with the message: “We’re not the one (sic) who need to be careful.”

Three months before the incident, Fields also posted a meme on Instagram, showing an image of a crowd of people being hit by a car.

“What we have is a man who had a decision, and he decides to turn his Instagram post into reality,” the prosecutor said.

Rescue workers assist people who were injured when a car drove through a group of counter protestors at the "Unite the Right" rally Charlottesville, Va., U.S., Aug. 12, 2017. Joshua Roberts/Reuters

According to The Associated Press, he also told his mother while in jail that he was mobbed “by a violent group of terrorists” at the rally. “It doesn’t matter. It’s not up for questioning. She’s the enemy,” Fields apparently said of Heyer’s mother.

If convicted of federal hate crimes, Fields is eligible for the death penalty, AP noted.

Before the fatal incident, Fields was photographed holding a shield that had the Vanguard America emblem. The white supremacist group participated in the rally, but it later denied he was associated with them.