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New Hampshire white nationalist, who participated in Charlottesville rally, on trial over rape threats

A white nationalist who rose to prominence during a deadly 2017 rally in Virginia is on trial on federal charges of threatening to rape a political enemy's wife.

Credit: AP

FILE - This undated booking file photo provided by the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail shows Christopher Cantwell, of New Hampshire. Cantwell went on trial Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020, on federal charges of threatening to rape the wife of a person with whom he was having a dispute. (Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail via AP, File)

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — A white nationalist who rose to prominence during a deadly 2017 rally in Virginia is on trial on federal charges of threatening to rape the wife of a man who was part of a racist group he had been feuding with for months.

Christopher Cantwell is accused of using the Telegram messaging app to make the threat in 2019.

The Keene, New Hampshire, resident has pleaded not guilty.

Cantwell pleaded guilty in 2018 to assault after he was accused of using pepper spray against two counterprotesters during the Unite the Right white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Everyone in the courtroom was wearing masks because of the pandemic as the trial started Tuesday.