Ohio Man Gets 4-Year Sentence in Charlottesville Beating

Daniel Borden — an Ohio man charged in the beating of a black man during 2017’s Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia — has been sentenced to just under four years in prison, Associated Press reports.

Borden, 21, who was one of four men charged with beating DeAndre Harris during the white nationalist rally, was originally sentenced to 20 years. However, most of that sentence was suspended and Borden’s active sentence is three years and 10 months.

As WVIR-TV reports, during Monday’s sentencing hearing, Borden “told the judge he is not a bigot and remorseful” and he offered an apology to Harris, who was not in attendance.

“As with all prosecutions surrounding the August 12th, 2017 attack of DeAndre Harris, this office is hopeful that today’s outcome brings some measure of solace and closure to him and the community at large,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Joseph Platania said after Borden’s sentencing per AP.

Two other men have been convicted of maliciously wounding Harris. In August 2018, Jacob Scott Goodwin was sentenced to serve eight years in prison and Alex Michael Ramos was sentenced to six years, NPR reports. Tyler Davis, the fourth man charged with his role in the beating of Harris, entered a plea of not guilty in October 2018, per WVIR-TV. Davis’ jury trial is scheduled for February 11th.

In a separate violent incident at the white nationalist rally, James Alex Fields Jr. killed Heather Heyer when he drove his car through a crowd of counter-protesters. Last month, Fields was convicted of first degree murder. He was also found guilty on eight counts of malicious wounding stemming from the 35 people he injured during the August 2017 attack. Per AP, the jury recommended a sentence of life, plus 419 years. Fields’ sentencing is scheduled for March 29th.