It could be both a federal crime and a state crime. And the now-apparent severity of the injuries may warrant upping the state charges to a felony. The local police arrested the guy, so of course they bring state assault charges. Maybe the United States will charge him, too.

Many here seemed to believe this was political. I haven't heard anything that would justify that belief. Is there any actual evidence of that?

“Displaced rib fractures can lead to life-threatening injuries such as: hemopneumothorax, pneumothorax, pneumonia, internal bleeding, laceration of internal organs and lung contusions,” top aide Doug Stafford said earlier this week. “Senator Paul does have lung contusions currently.”

Perhaps this could bump the charges to 2nd degree felony.

quote:

Is there any actual evidence of that?

not "evidence" but the suspicion comes from reports like this:

http://dailycaller.com/2017/11...t-his-kentucky-home/

A Facebook account that appears to be maintained by Boucher contains numerous anti-Donald Trump postings.

On May 17, Boucher posted, “May Robert Mueller fry Trump’s gonads,” a reference to the former FBI director’s investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian government.

There are no postings on the account about Paul, though there are many others that criticize Republicans in general.

Boucher shared one post from the Occupy Democrats account citing left-wing academic Noam Chomsky’s criticism of the Republican party.

***************

several reports are that although they are neighbors, they had little interaction

http://www.chicagotribune.com/...-20171107-story.html

Rand Paul does not know why a longtime neighbor tackled him in his yard and broke five of his ribs, sidelining him from the Senate, a close friend of the lawmaker said Tuesday.

Rob Porter, who says he has known Paul for 20 years, visited the Senator on Saturday just one day after the attack. He said Paul was mowing his yard and had stopped to remove a limb when 59-year-old Rene Boucher, Paul's neighbor for 17 years, tackled him from behind, slamming him to the ground. Porter said Paul was wearing ear protection and did not hear Boucher coming.

The FBI is investigating the assault to see if it was politically motivated. Boucher's attorney, Matt Baker, said the attack had "absolutely nothing to do" with politics but was "a very regrettable dispute" that was "trivial." He would not elaborate, saying he needs to "do my due diligence" before offering specifics about the case.

Paul's representatives have declined to comment about what might have prompted the attack. Doug Stafford, Paul's senior adviser, called the case a "serious criminal matter involving state and federal authorities."

REPORT: Federal Charges Expected For Rand Paul’s Attacker, Assault May Have Been Politically Motivated


Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has been told to expect federal charges against his socialist neighbor who attacked the Republican senator last week, Fox News’ Shepard Smith reported on Thursday.

That prosecutors are expected to bring federal charges in the attack indicates that they may believe it was politically motivated, Smith reported. Previous media reports that the attack was over a long-standing dispute are inaccurate, Paul’s office has said.

Paul’s attacker, 59-year-old anesthesiologist Rene Boucher, has claimed that the assault on Paul was over a “trivial matter” and had “nothing to do” with politics. (RELATED: Rand Paul’s Socialist Attacker Insists Assault Had ‘Nothing To Do’ With Politics)

Boucher’s neighbors described him as an avowed socialist known for getting into heated political arguments. Boucher’s Facebook page revealed him to hold fervent anti-Trump beliefs, stating in one post that he hopes Special Counsel Robert Mueller will “fry Trump’s gonads.”

“My family has lived here for six years now. In all the years that I have been on board we have never had any complaints at all about anything from them or against the Pauls,” one neighbor, Shawn Parker, told TheDC. “I pass by their house everyday as my family lives diagonally across the street from them. When we see Rand out riding his bike or Kelley out walking in the beautiful neighborhood we live in they have always waved or even stopped to say hello.”

Boucher pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges on Thursday, although he is expected to soon face more serious charges.

http://dailycaller.com/2017/11...litically-motivated/

Like.

Another demented libtard that needs time in the stockades.

quote:

Originally posted by feersum dreadnaught:
REPORT: Federal Charges Expected For Rand Paul’s Attacker, Assault May Have Been Politically Motivated


Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul has been told to expect federal charges against his socialist neighbor who attacked the Republican senator last week, Fox News’ Shepard Smith reported on Thursday.

That prosecutors are expected to bring federal charges in the attack indicates that they may believe it was politically motivated, Smith reported. Previous media reports that the attack was over a long-standing dispute are inaccurate, Paul’s office has said.

Paul’s attacker, 59-year-old anesthesiologist Rene Boucher, has claimed that the assault on Paul was over a “trivial matter” and had “nothing to do” with politics. (RELATED: Rand Paul’s Socialist Attacker Insists Assault Had ‘Nothing To Do’ With Politics)

Boucher’s neighbors described him as an avowed socialist known for getting into heated political arguments. Boucher’s Facebook page revealed him to hold fervent anti-Trump beliefs, stating in one post that he hopes Special Counsel Robert Mueller will “fry Trump’s gonads.”

“My family has lived here for six years now. In all the years that I have been on board we have never had any complaints at all about anything from them or against the Pauls,” one neighbor, Shawn Parker, told TheDC. “I pass by their house everyday as my family lives diagonally across the street from them. When we see Rand out riding his bike or Kelley out walking in the beautiful neighborhood we live in they have always waved or even stopped to say hello.”

Boucher pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault charges on Thursday, although he is expected to soon face more serious charges.

http://dailycaller.com/2017/11...litically-motivated/

Thanks.

Wonder if he's going to blame it on his upbringing.

Oh boy. Newsweek is saying that it’s Paul’s fault he got assaulted. Apparently he broke some neighborhood association rules so he deserved what he got. What a freakin joke.

http://www.washingtonexaminer....ribs/article/2640560

In his first interview since being sucker-attacked 10 days ago while doing yard work in Kentucky, Sen. Rand Paul said that there was “no justification” for what happened.

Struggling to breathe and talk, the result of six ribs being broken in the incident, Paul told Secrets that he knew of no motive that would have sparked his neighbor to hit him from behind.

“From my perspective, I’m not really too concerned about what someone’s motive is. I’m just concerned that I was attacked from the back and somebody broke six of my ribs and gave me a damaged lung where at least for now I have trouble speaking and breathing and now I’ve hurt for 10 days,” said the senator after arriving back in Washington for a week of critical votes.

Several neighbors reached out to Secrets to reject early claims that the dispute was related to poor landscaping by Paul, and there has never been a complaint about that filed with the community’s homeowners association.

The two-term senator said that he hasn’t talked to Boucher in a decade. “My first encounter was basically being hit in the back,” he said. “We’ve never had words over anything, we’ve never had a dispute or discussion or words,”

Paul said in this case, “There is going to be a criminal prosecution,” and felt limited in what he could or wanted to say about the case.

The attacker is an anesthesiologist....acting irrationally...... I've seen that before.

quote:

Originally posted by mike28w:
The attacker is an anesthesiologist....acting irrationally...... I've seen that before.

No doubt it's from huffing all those gases. His defense will be that he was under the influence of something.

quote:

Originally posted by Icabod:

quote:

Originally posted by mike28w:
The attacker is an anesthesiologist....acting irrationally...... I've seen that before.

No doubt it's from huffing all those gases. His defense will be that he was under the influence of something.

At least on the state charges, it won’t matter. Intoxication is a voluntary state in KY and not a defense.

http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/19/...l-charges/index.html

US Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Josh Minkler on Friday announced a felony charge against Rene A. Boucher.

Boucher, the US attorney said, allegedly saw Paul "stack brush onto a pile near the victim's property and 'had enough.'" According to the statement, Boucher has signed a plea agreement and has admitted the assault, denying any political motivation.

Boucher faces up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the US attorney.

quote:

Originally posted by sdy:
http://www.cnn.com/2018/01/19/...l-charges/index.html

US Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Josh Minkler on Friday announced a felony charge against Rene A. Boucher.

Boucher, the US attorney said, allegedly saw Paul "stack brush onto a pile near the victim's property and 'had enough.'" According to the statement, Boucher has signed a plea agreement and has admitted the assault, denying any political motivation.

Boucher faces up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000, according to the US attorney.

Why is the AUSA for the Southern District of INDIANA getting involved in a case that occurred in Bowling Green, KENTUCKY? Something is missing here.

quote:

Why is the AUSA for the Southern District of INDIANA getting involved in a case that occurred in Bowling Green, KENTUCKY? Something is missing here.

I'm assuming that attacking a congressperson is a federal crime.

yes, federal charge and a recusal (see below)

http://www.bgdailynews.com/new...4b-60187a4c0a1b.html

Retired physician Rene Boucher, whose arrest in November following a reported attack on U.S. Sen. Rand Paul made national headlines, has been charged with a federal felony.

U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler of the Southern District of Indiana announced Friday that Boucher, 58, has been charged with assaulting a member of Congress resulting in personal injury, according to a news release.

"Assaulting a member of Congress is an offense we take very seriously," Minkler said in a news release. "Those who choose to commit such an act will be held accountable."

Boucher has signed a plea agreement, although no court date has been set for the taking of his guilty plea and the imposition of any sentence, according to Minkler's office, which was assigned the case after the office of Russell Coleman, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky, recused itself.

Methinks doc has a screw loose.

http://www.wlky.com/article/ne...paul-attack/19309798

Neighbor pleads guilty in Senator Rand Paul attack

Rene Boucher pleaded guilty to assaulting the Senator resulting in personal injury, a felony under federal law.

Boucher tackled Paul in November while he was mowing his lawn, causing multiple fractured ribs and he subsequently contracted and required medical attention for pneumonia.

Boucher admitted the assault but denied it was politically motivated and said it was a dispute between neighbors.

Boucher's final sentencing is tentatively scheduled for June 15th.

The recommended sentence is 21 months and a fine.

Boucher has been released on a $25,000 unsecured bond and is to have no contact with Paul or his family.