Senator Rand Paul was sentenced Wednesday by a Kentucky jury to pay more than $ 580,000 in damages after being attacked by his neighbor in the fall of 2017.
Paul, R-Ky., Received $ 375,000 in punitive damages, $ 200,000 in suffering and $ 7,834 in medical expenses.
The legislator was violently attacked by his neighbor, René Boucher, in November 2017, while mowing his lawn. Paul was attacked from behind and had six broken ribs, including three displaced fractures. His recovery was complicated by the presence of fluid and blood around the lungs and recurrent pneumonia.
Boucher pleaded guilty in March to a federal charge of assaulting a congressman and asked for probation. In June, he was sentenced to 30 days in prison for this attack. He was also sentenced to one year probation, a $ 10,000 fine and 100 hours of community service and no further contact with Paul's family.
Shortly after the attack, Boucher's lawyer stated that the confrontation had "absolutely nothing to do" with politics and constituted a dispute over something "trivial".
Boucher, a retired anesthesiologist, said the attack was triggered because he was agitated by heaps of scrub on Paul's property. Boucher also claimed that Paul used his lawn mower - the same day as the attack - and blew some leaves on his property, causing his outrage.
"There has been no conflict of long standing." This description is false, "said a spokesman for Paul Fox News in 2018." It is impossible to have a dispute if no word of disagreement has been uttered - immediately or at another time. time before. the attack occurred. "
Paul said on Wednesday that he hoped the jury verdict on Wednesday would send a "clear message that violence is not the answer". Boucher's lawyer said they would appeal.
