You read that right. A Charlottesville, Va. jury did agree with a judge’s ruling that a local man was guilty of assault and battery after punching Unite the Right organizer Jason Kessler in the head.
That same jury also recommended that the man in question, 50-year-old Jeffrey Matthew Winder, serve zero jail time and shell out a whopping $1 fine for the misdemeanor conviction.
Ah, all is right in the world and black Jesus’ baby angels are singing.
As NBC29 notes, the incident started back on Aug. 13, 2017, when Kessler called a press conference one day after his violent white supremacist rally ended with one person, Heather Heyer, being killed after a man drove his vehicle into a group of people counter-protesting. Several others were injured.
As Kessler began to speak, the crowd began chanting “Say her name,” of course, referring to Heyer. The crowd swarmed the sentient tub of pure mayo, causing him to flee and at some point, Winder punched him in the back of the head, as people cursed at him to “Get the fuck out of here.”
“[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,” Winder told NBC29.
An attorney representing Winder, James Abreino, argued that Kessler brought the attack on himself by holding the press conference after tensions were so high as a result of Heyer’s death, as well as so many being injured.
Winder was initially found guilty of the misdemeanor charges in February and was given a 30-day sentence, but he appealed the judge’s decision in that case. On Tuesday, when Winder went before a jury, he was facing up to 12 months in jail and a $2,500 fine, but instead was asked to pay his $1 fine and serve no jail time.