BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — U.S. Sen. Rand Paul’s neighbor has been sentenced to 30 days in prison for attacking him in a dispute over yard waste, and the Republican lawmaker says he’s fine with that.
Rene Boucher pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress. Paul suffered broken ribs. Boucher said he was triggered by Paul stacking debris near their property line in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
U.S. District Judge Marianne Battani called November's attack a "dispute between neighbors" and an "isolated incident," not motivated by politics. Boucher also must serve a year of supervised release.
Federal prosecutors sought 21 months, but a statement from Paul said a "felony conviction is appropriate and hopefully will deter the attacker from further violence."
"The original 21 month sentence requested would have been the appropriate punishment," the senator said. "I commend the FBI and Department of Justice for treating this violent, pre-meditated assault with the seriousness it deserves."