The neighbor who admitted to attacking U.S. Senator Rand Paul outside his home last fall was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Bowling Green to 30 days in jail.
Rene Boucher was also ordered to serve one year of supervised release, perform 100 hours of community service, and have no intentional contact with the Paul family.
Boucher addressed the court and offered an apology to the Republican lawmaker who sustained broken ribs and other injuries after being tackled from behind while mowing his lawn on November 3.
"What I did was wrong and I hope he and his family can one day accept my apology," Boucher said.
Boucher, who pleaded guilty to assaulting a member of Congress, expressed embarrassment and described the last seven months as a "nightmare."
The 60-year-old retired anesthesiologist said he lost his temper over repeated piles of debris on the property line between his home and Paul's in the upscale Rivergreen subdivision in Bowling Green.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brad Shepherd asked the judge for a 21-month prison term, arguing that Boucher didn't simply lose his temper.
"This was a vicious, unprovoked assault," Shepherd said.
Shepherd spoke of not only the physical harm caused to Senator Paul, but also the fear his family now has from being in their yard.
Boucher was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Marianne Battani from the Eastern District of Michigan after Kentucky's federal judges recused themselves from the case. At the end of the sentencing, the judge admonished Boucher to both seek and show forgiveness.
"I know it's a heavy burden to be a convicted felon, but I hope you can forgive yourself and go on with your life," Battani said. "I hope the Pauls can forgive you, but ultimately, you can forgive yourself."
Judge Battani allowed Boucher to remain free on bond until he is given a date to report to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. His attorney expects that to be in the next 30-45 days.
