Man pleads guilty to punching woman at Charlottesville rally

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – A man has pleaded guilty to punching a woman as she yelled anti-racist chants at white supremacists at a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Thirty-seven-year-old Dennis Mothersbaugh of North Vernon, Indiana, pleaded guilty to assault and battery Friday in Charlottesville. He was sentenced to eight months in jail.

The Daily Progress reports that 21-year-old Jacob Smith of Louisa County, Virginia, also pleaded guilty Friday to misdemeanour assault and battery. He was charged with assaulting a reporter on Aug. 12 as she was covering the events following the car attack that killed Heather Heyer and injured of others.

Smith received a suspended sentence and was ordered to perform community service.

___

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