White nationalist James Fields convicted of murdering counterprotester Heather Heyer at ‘Unite the Right’ rally in Charlottesville, Virginia

Fields, 21, drove his car into a group of counterprotesters at the rally last year, killing Heather Heyer, 24, and injuring 19 others

On Friday he was convicted of murder after seven hours of deliberation by the jury. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison

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FILE PHOTO: James Alex Fields Jnr, (L) is seen attending the “Unite the Right” rally in Emancipation Park before being arrested by police and charged with charged with one count of second degree murder, three counts of malicious wounding and one count of failing to stop at an accident that resulted in a death after police say he drove a car into a crowd of counter-protesters later in the afternoon in Charlottesville, Virginia, US, August 12, 2017. REUTERS/Eze Amos/File Photo

Published: 7:35am, 8 Dec 2018Updated: 7:35am, 8 Dec 2018

A white nationalist who drove his car into a crowd protesting a white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, last year, killing one of the counterprotesters, was found guilty on Friday of first-degree murder and nine other counts.

The jury deliberated for about seven hours before convicting James Fields, 21, of all charges stemming from the deadly attack that occurred after police had declared an unlawful assembly and cleared a city park of white supremacists gathered for the “Unite the Right” rally.

Fields’ Dodge Charger is seen in this photo after he drove it into the crowd in Charlottesville. Photo: Getty Images North America via AFP

Fields, who did not take the witness box to defend himself, faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. The 12 members of the mostly white jury – seven women and five men – were to return to court on Monday for the start of the penalty phase of the trial.

Defence lawyers never disputed that Fields was behind the wheel of the Dodge Charger that sent bodies flying when it crashed into a crowd on August 12, 2017, killing counterprotester Heather Heyer, 32 and injuring 19 others.

Instead, Fields’ lawyers suggested he felt intimidated by a hostile crowd and acted to protect himself.

Prosecutors said Field was motivated by hatred and had come to the rally to harm others.