White supremacist found guilty of assaulting black man at Charlottesville 'Unite the Right' rally

Jury recommends sentence of 10 years in prison

(NBC News)

A white supremacist has been found guilty of assaulting a black protester at the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia last summer.

Jurors found Jacob Goodwin guilty of malicious wounding after he admitted to repeatedly kicking DeAndre Harris in a parking lot outside the rally in August. The jury recommended a sentence of 10 years in prison for Goodwin, with the option of suspending some time and paying a $20,000 fine.

The 23-year-old attended the Unite the Right Rally along with hundreds of other white supremacists, who marched on the town to protest the removal of a confederate statue from a local park.

Goodwin and several others attacked Mr Harris in a parking lot after witnessing a scuffle between the 20-year-old and white supremacist Harold Ray Crews. The group’s attack left Mr Harris with a spinal injury, a broken arm and head lacerations that required eight staples.

Goodwin’s attorney, Elmer Woodard, argued that Mr Harris had provoked the attack himself, and that Goodwin had acted in self defence. Goodwin testified that he was scared for his life after watching the fight with Mr Crews, and was trying to “neutralize a threat,” according to the Washington Post.

Goodwin has previously described himself as an advocate for “white civil rights,” and a member of white supremacist Billy Roper’s ShieldWall Network. He wore pins bearing the number 88, code for “Heil Hitler,” to the rally, according to the Post.

Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Nina-Alice Antony challenged the defence team’s version of events, reminding jurors that Goodwin was dressed in a helmet and goggles and carrying a plastic shield and at the time he attacked Mr Harris.

“Does Jacob Goodwin see someone over there and go help?” she asked the jury. “Or does he outfit himself for battle and run in to do battle?”

Before the nine women and three men deliberated on their recommended sentence, Ms Antony reminded them that Goodwin had yet to express any remorse for his actions.

Presiding judge Richard E Moore will sentence Goodwin in August.

Mr Harris was found not guilty of assault in the scuffle with Mr Crews earlier this year. At the time, defence attorney Rhonda Quagliana told The Independent she was “happy and relieved” at the outcome.

“DeAndre is a 20-year-old young person and the things that happened to him on that day, and the difficulties that he’s endured after the last several months, have been nothing short of overwhelming for someone his age,” she said.

Three other men have also been arrested in connection with Mr Harris’s attack. Alex Michael Ramos will start trial this week. Daniel Borden and Tyler Watkins Davis will both stand trial this summer.

A fourth man is facing first-degree murder charges stemming from the same rally. James Alex Fields is accused of killing 32-year-old Heather Heyer when plowing his car through a crowd of counter-protesters at the rally. He has yet to enter a plea.