Charlottesville protest organizer seeks new trial venue

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A lawyer for the chief organizer of August’s Charlottesville, Virginia, white nationalist rally is seeking a change of venue for a trial over a perjury charge.

The charge facing Jason Kessler is unrelated to the Aug. 12 rally where a woman was killed after a car plowed into a group of counterprotesters.

The Daily Progress reports that attorney Michael Hallahan told a judge Wednesday that Kessler wouldn’t be able to have a fair trial in the area because of “negative news coverage.” He has also argued that lawyers in the Charlottesville Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office have been quoted making negative comments about his client.

The perjury charge stems from a sworn statement Kessler made alleging he was assaulted by a Charlottesville man. Kessler later pleaded guilty to assaulting the man he accused.

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Information from: The Daily Progress, http://www.dailyprogress.com