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Ohio man sues white supremacists over 2017 Virginia rally

Posted at 5:56 PM, May 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-18 17:56:44-04

An Ohio man is suing white supremacists and neo-Nazi protesters in federal court, saying he was severely injured during their rally in Virginia two years ago.

Bill Burke of Athens, Ohio, filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court in Ohio. He says he was struck by the car driven by James Alex Fields Jr., that also killed counterprotester Heather Heyer during the August 2017 protest in Charlottesville, Virginia. Fields was convicted of murder and other charges in state court, and pleaded guilty last month to federal hate crimes. He is awaiting sentencing.

RELATED: Man convicted of using car to plow into protesters pleads guilty to hate crime charges

According to Burke, his physical injuries still require medical treatment and may be permanent, and he has experienced “severe psychological and emotional suffering.”

The lawsuit names multiple defendants, including Fields, David Duke and Jason Kessler.