RICHMOND, Va. — Nearly six years after a big gathering of white nationalists in Charlottesville erupted in violent clashes with counterprotesters, a grand jury in Virginia has indicted a number of individuals on felony costs for carrying flaming torches with the intent to intimidate.
The Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office mentioned in a information launch that the indictments relate to an occasion on Aug. 11, 2017. That’s when a gaggle of white nationalists carrying torches marched by the campus of the University of Virginia, some chanting, “Jews will not replace us.”
Commonwealth’s Attorney James Hingeley didn’t say within the launch how many individuals have been indicted and didn’t instantly return a name and e-mail in search of touch upon Tuesday. According to digital court docket information, the indictments towards three individuals have been unsealed, together with William Zachary Smith, of Nacona, Texas; Tyler Bradley Dykes, of Bluffton, South Carolina; and Dallas Medina, of Ravenna, Ohio.
Each is charged with a single depend of burning an object with the intent of intimidating an individual or group of individuals. The cost carries a most penalty of as much as 5 years in jail.
Smith’s lawyer, Cody Villalon, declined to remark when reached by telephone Tuesday. Dykes and Medina do not need the identify of any attorneys listed in digital court docket information.
The indictments, which have been issued in February however solely just lately unsealed, come nearly six years after violence broke out throughout two days of demonstrations by the most important gathering of white nationalists in a decade.
Clashes started on the night time of Aug. 11, 2017, through the torch march, and continued the next day, when a “Unite the Right” rally was deliberate. James Alex Fields Jr., a white supremacist from Maumee, Ohio, rammed his automobile right into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing one girl and injuring dozens. Fields is serving a life sentence for homicide and hate crimes.
Prosecutors mentioned the indictments have been issued “as part of a criminal investigation that is active and ongoing,” including they work with legislation enforcement to analyze, analyze relevant legal guidelines, and produce costs “when appropriate.”
“This is our process regardless of how much time has passed or where the alleged offenders may be found,” they mentioned.
Former President Donald Trump set off a firestorm of criticism when he mentioned there have been “very fine people on both sides” of the clashes between white nationalists and anti-racist demonstrators in Charlottesville.
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