US Senate(BOWLING GREEN, Ky.) — The Kentucky doctor who allegedly attacked Sen. Rand Paul, leaving him with six broken ribs, pleaded not guilty to fourth-degree assault charges Thursday.
Rene Boucher, 59, Paul’s next-door neighbor for 17 years, tackled the senator to the ground last Friday, according to his arrest warrant. As Paul is a member of Congress, U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI assisted in the investigation of the incident.
Paul tweeted about his injuries Wednesday, sharing the news about his broken ribs and adding that he had a pleural effusion, which is an accumulation of fluid resulting from inflammation or changes in pressure in the chest.
The senator additionally appeared to hint at his side of the incident Wednesday, retweeting news stories that pushed back on earlier reports that the alleged assault was the result of a dispute over landscaping.
An attorney for Boucher provided ABC News with a statement Monday, saying that the incident was unrelated to politics and instead spurred by a “trivial” dispute.
“We sincerely hope that Sen. Paul is doing well and that these two gentlemen can get back to being neighbors as quickly as possible,” read the statement.
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