Putting aside the fact that James Alex Fields injured or killed white (and black) people with his car, that he was charged with second degree murder, not first degree, indicates the police think he just flew-off-the-handle in the heat-of-the-moment when the police had failed to keep the rival factions separated, even having directed the pro statue (of Robert E. Lee) people through a gauntlet of protesters against them, which predictably made a bad situation worse.
