A black man who was caught on video being beaten by Charlottesville protesters in August is now facing felony charges.
According to the Washington Post, on Monday (Oct. 9) a local magistrate issued a warrant for 20-year-old Deandre Harris’ arrest after an unidentified accuser claimed to have been injured by Harris during the brawl. The charge being leveled against Harris is an unlawful wounding charge. Harris’ attorney S. Lee Merritt said the charge is “clearly retaliatory” and maintained Harris did not investigate the fight.
“We find it highly offensive and upsetting, but what’s more jarring is that he’s been charged with the same crime as the men who attacked him,” Merritt said. He continued to say it’s “highly unusual” that the charge came from a Magistrate and not the police, and also said the accuser tried to implicate Harris prior.
Stills of the fight in which Harris is seen on the ground bloodied and bruised while being physically attacked by white racists went viral, with many working diligently to identify those involved. Two men were later identified from the video and both charged with a felony of malicious wounding.
Along with Harris’ wounds which led to a head laceration that reportedly required 10 staples, 32-year-old Heather Hayer was killed after being struck by car driven by 20-year-old white nationalist James Alex Fields Jr.