Rene Boucher, Rand Paul's alleged attacker in last week's front lawn tackling incident, pleaded not guilty to fourth-degree assault charges on Thursday (Nov. 9). Earlier reports on the incident indicated that the dispute between the two physicians was over a disagreement pertaining to landscaping. Paul seemed to indicate that he had a different take on what happened and why; although he has not yet provided his side of the story to reporters or in court. Paul did not appear in court today and more likely will not appear until Boucher's trial begins.

ABC News confirmed this information.

Boucher's attorney's claims

Without admitting guilt for his client, Boucher's attorney stated that the dispute was over a "trivial" matter. The question arises as to how Boucher's attorney can acknowledge that the incident occurred and have his client plead "not guilty" at the same time. It is one of those fine points in the law that allows a defendant's attorney to confirm that an incident took place without admitting guilt for his/her client. In order for Boucher to be convicted of fourth-degree assault, prosecutors have to prove intent.

In order to prove intent, prosecutors have to prove that the attack was unprovoked and that Boucher intended to hurt Paul.

If Boucher's attorney is able to present any evidence that Paul said or did something to provoke the attack, then it will be very difficult to prove intent on Boucher's part or to prove that it was a random incident borne of ill intentions.

A hypothetical scenario

The fine point in the law is easier to understand with hypothetical examples.

If on one hand, Boucher did not like Paul's appearance or his body language, and simply decided to attack him because he "could not stand him," then it would be easier for prosecutors to prove his guilt. If on the other hand, Paul had been dumping his lawn cuttings in the street in front of Boucher's home and ignoring Boucher's requests that he dump them somewhere else, then it would be much harder for prosecutors to prove that the incident was unprovoked.

If prosecutors cannot prove that the incident was unprovoked, then it will be much harder for them to prove intent on Boucher's part. This is how Boucher, who once worked with Paul at the hospital, can plead "not guilty" even though his attorney acknowledges that the incident did, in fact, take place.

Postings on Twitter

Rand Paul took to Twitter to post an update on his medical condition following the incident. He revealed the fact that he sustained six broken ribs and a pleural effusion, which is an inflammation of the lungs that results in a build-up of fluid.

Reactions from citizens on Twitter seemed to indicate that most observers believed that there was more to this story that has not been revealed thus far.

Mike Cernovich indicated that the attack was over something other than landscaping:

Paul Joseph Wilson directly stated that "something's being covered up here:"

Andrew Kaczynski stated that the mystery is "deepening" concerning the attack:

Axios stated that the dispute "wasn't over landscaping:"

Trump's power to launch nuclear war

Meanwhile, Senator Bob Corker has announced plans to hold a hearing on President Donald Trump's power to launch a nuclear war.

Corker is determined to find some avenue by which to require that Congress have a say in the decision-making process pertaining to launching nuclear attacks. The hearing is very timely considering that Trump and North Korea's despotic leader Kim Jong-un are actively engaged in a war of words and threats against each other.
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