CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) - The Latest on the aftermath of deadly violence at a Virginia rally by white nationalists (all times local):
4:55 p.m.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has created a new commission to study racism and radicalization and what policy changes can be made to make the state more inclusive.
The commission is part of the governor’s response to the deadly Aug. 12 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.
McAuliffe signed the executive order Thursday creating the commission. His office has not yet announced who will be part of the new group.
The commission is also tasked with hosting events to “promote a public dialogue on unity and reconciliation.”
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1:45 p.m.
A judge has waived a court hearing for the suspect charged with driving a car into a crowd of people protesting a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, killing one person.
James Alex Fields Jr. of Ohio was set for a court hearing Friday morning. He’s charged with second-degree murder in the death of Heather Heyer and other counts.
But a judge on Thursday agreed to a request from prosecutors and Fields’ attorney to continue the case until Dec. 14. Fields will have a preliminary hearing then.
A former high school teacher has said Fields was an admirer of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. He was photographed hours before the attack with a shield bearing the emblem of Vanguard America, one of the hate groups that took part in the rally, although the group has denied any association with Fields.
His attorney has not responded to inquiries from The Associated Press.
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1:40 p.m.
A Charlottesville City Council member says no one has been fired after a closed-door meeting on personnel issues in the aftermath of violence at a white nationalist rally.
The council met privately Thursday morning. Vice Mayor Wes Bellamy said afterward that “everybody’s still employed.” Bellamy says the council discussed what happened Aug. 12 and how the council can ensure they are “moving forward in the right direction.”
Mayor Mike Signer posted a lengthy statement on Facebook before the meeting saying the rally “raised serious questions about the city’s handling of security, communications, and governance.”
He says those are questions that the city council should ask “as the ultimate authority over the city manager.”
The rally attracted what’s believed to be the largest gathering of white nationalists in at least a decade. One woman was killed when a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters. Two state troopers were killed when their helicopter crashed.
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11:45 a.m.
A monument honoring Confederate soldiers has been removed from the grounds of a public building in Florida.
Manatee County spokesman Nick Azzara tells the Bradenton Herald the Confederate war veteran memorial was taken off the grounds of the county courthouse in Bradenton on Thursday morning. Only the slab where the monument stood remained in place.
County commission voted 4-3 to put the monument in temporary storage while exploring a new home for it. The vote followed a protest by hundreds of people, many calling for the removal of the monument.
Earlier this month, Hillsborough County commissions said a Confederate monument would stay put in Tampa unless private funds were raised to move it. Donations poured in, including a promise from the three major sports teams to dedicate funds to move the monument.
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11:30 a.m.
A white nationalist who says he pepper-sprayed a demonstrator in self-defense on the campus of the University of Virginia has made his first court appearance.
News media outlets report that Christopher Cantwell appeared before an Albemarle County General District Court judge on Thursday after turning himself in to authorities late the night before.
The Daily Progress reports that the judge didn’t set a bond, but said Cantwell’s attorney can ask for a bond hearing later. Cantwell told the judge he plans to hire his own lawyer.
Cantwell turned himself in late Wednesday after authorities announced he was wanted on three felony charges: two counts of the illegal use of tear gas or other gases and one count of malicious bodily injury with a “caustic substance,” explosive or fire.
Cantwell acknowledged in an interview with The Associated Press that he had pepper-sprayed a counter-demonstrator but insisted he was defending himself.
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10:30 a.m.
Charlottesville officials are planning to meet behind closed doors to discuss personnel matters in the wake of a deadly white nationalist rally.
Mayor Mike Signer said in a statement posted on Facebook that the City Council decided to hold an emergency closed session with the city manager on Thursday. Signer said the events on Aug. 12 “raised serious questions about the city’s handling of security, communications, and governance.”
He said those are questions that the city council should ask “as the ultimate authority over the city manager.”
It has been nearly two weeks since the rally, which attracted what’s believed to be the largest gathering of white nationalists in at least a decade. One woman was killed when a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters.
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9 a.m.
An event designed to give Charlottesville residents a chance to talk with city officials about this month’s violent white nationalist rally has been rescheduled.
The city was supposed to host a “community recovery town hall” Thursday evening in collaboration with the Department of Justice.
But the city says in a statement that the town hall now will be held Sunday afternoon due to conflicts with student activities at the local high school. The city says officials will provide an update on “recovery efforts” and offer opportunities for public comment.
It’s been nearly two weeks since the rally, which attracted what’s believed to be the largest gathering of white nationalists in at least a decade. One woman was killed when a car plowed into a group of counter-protesters.
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4:30 a.m.
Charlottesville residents are getting a chance to talk with city officials about a white nationalist rally earlier this month that devolved into deadly violence.
The city is hosting what it calls a “community recovery town hall” Thursday evening, in collaboration with a division of the Department of Justice. The event comes a day after workers covered two Confederate statues in black to mourn the death of a woman killed while protesting the rally.
A news release says the city will provide an update on “recovery efforts” and offer opportunities for public comment.
It’s been nearly two weeks since the rally, which attracted what’s believed to be the largest gathering of white nationalists in at least a decade.
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