Man fined $1 for punching organiser of violent ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville

Jason Kessler says 'the whole world made fun of me' over incident

A jury has fined a man $1 for punching the white nationalist organiser of the 'Unite the Right' rally in Charlottesville, Virginia last year.

Video showed Jeffrey Winder punching Jason Kessler in the back of the head as police tried to escort the rally organiser away from the angry crowd gathering.

Mr Kessler was giving a news conference outside of Charlottesville City Hall on 13 August, just one day after Heather Heyer was killed by a car driven through a crowd of counter-protesters demonstrating against the rally - which was called over the removal of a statue of Civil War era Confederate General Robert E Lee. Two police officers also died after the helicopter they were using to monitor the rally crashed.

Winder was found guilty of misdemeanour assault and battery in February 2018 and his original sentence was 30 days in jail, which his lawyers appealed immediately.

In the appeal trial, Winder could have been sentenced to one year in jail and handed a $2,500 fine.

Instead the jury found him guilty, but said no jail time was required and he only had to pay $1.

Winder's attorney, James Abrenio said the jury “clearly thought about it very sincerely,” adding the jury and judge "were all kind."

At the trial Mr Kessler testified: "I was attacked in front of the whole world, and then people made fun of me for it”.

Those gathered for the rally - many of whom identified as neo-Nazis, white supremacists, and white nationalists - carried torches and protested the removal of the statue from a city park because they felt it was an affront to history of the American South.

Counter-protesters argued removing the reminder of slavery and the war fought to keep it was a necessary step for the city.

Mr Abrenio had argued Mr Kessler tried to “profit off” the tragic deaths and injuries by holding the news conference a day after the rally.

At the time of the incident Winder told a local CNN affiliate Mr Kessler “had an incredible amount of nerve coming in front of the people of Charlottesville after the pain, suffering, and terror that he brought on the community. He should never be allowed to show his face in town again”.