Good morning Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
Jury Recommends Life in Prison Plus 419 Years for Man Who Killed Heather Heyer
On Tuesday, a Virginia jury recommended a life sentence plus 419 years for James A. Fields, the neo-Nazi who killed Heather Heyer when he drove his car into counterprotesters at last year’s white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. His final punishment, however, will be determined by Judge Richard Moore on March 29 at Fields’ sentencing. According to the Associated Press, should Moore change the sentencing, he can only impose a shorter sentence — not a longer one.
Fields was just convicted of first-degree murder and other charges last week. It only took the jury about four hours of deliberations over two days to reach their recommendation. The AP reported that their decision came after listening to “emotional statements” from Heyer’s mom and people who were injured while counterprotesting the “Unite the right” rally.
Heyer’s mom, Susan Bro, said on Tuesday that she’s “content” with the jury’s recommendation. “The bottom line is justice has him where he needs to be,” Bro said. “My daughter is still not here and the other survivors still have their wounds to deal with, so we’ve all been damaged permanently, but we do survive. We do move forward. We don’t stay in that dark place.”
Judge Orders Stormy Daniels to Pay Trump’s Legal Fees
A federal judge ruled on Tuesday that Stormy Daniels, the adult-film star who sued President Trump for defamation in April, now has to pay him nearly $300,000 for legal fees. Trump’s lawyer, Charles Hader, initially requested nearly $390,000 in fees, but Judge S. James Otero reduced the final amount — $293,000 and an additional $1,000 in sanctions — by 25 percent.
Daniels’ defamation case was dismissed in October. After alleging that she was paid $130,000 just days before the 2016 presidential election to keep quiet about an apparent 2006 affair with Trump, he called her accusations a “total con job.” Trump also dismissed Daniels’ claims that she was being threatened not to speak up. As a result, she sued him.
Michael Avenatti, Daniels’ lawyer, tweeted on Tuesday that Trump had actually asked for $800,000 in attorneys’ fees, cost, and sanctions. But according to him, the court chose a lesser amount, “recognizing that the request was gross and excessive.”
Despite saying that Avenatti filed the suit without her approval back in November, Daniels thanked him in a tweet after the decision.
Multiple People Dead in Shootings in Brazil & Paris
A lone gunman shot and killed at least three people, while also wounding 12, near a famous Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday night. The man reportedly opened fire before escaping police officers. However, his identity is already known, according to The New York Times. Authorities flagged him as a potential threat after raiding his home Tuesdsay morning in relation to a different investigation. Now, he’s being looked at for possible terrorism, though French prosecutors have not speculated about his motive.
Another man opened fire inside a Catholic cathedral in the Brazilian city of Campinas on Tuesday. Reuters reported that the gunman fatally shot four people praying in the pews before killing himself. He also injured four others. The man reportedly had no criminal record and used two handguns. Police have not yet established his motive.
What to look for…
A new song from Ariana Grande, coming tomorrow night.