The Rand Paul supporter who was caught on camera stepping on the head of a MoveOn activist has been charged with fourth-degree assault, the Lexington Herald-Leader reports.
Timothy Mark Profitt, 53, is charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree assault after he stomped on Lauren Valle’s head and neck. Profitt “intentionally placed his foot on the shoulder/head region on the victim,” a criminal summons says. The newspaper reported that court records say Profitt will be arraigned Nov. 18. Such a charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail, a $500 fine, or a combination of both, the newspaper reported.
Earlier, Profitt went so far as to ask her for an apology. “I don’t think it’s that big of a deal,” Profitt said. “I would like for her to apologize to me to be honest with you.”
Valle said that no apology is coming. “I believe that you should be held accountable for your actions but I also recognize the incredibly negative impact that the consequences must be having on your life, and I wish you all the best as you yourself heal from this,” she wrote. “Violence hurts everyone.”
The stomping — which came on outside the final Kentucky Senate debate on Monday — has been a major focus of the campaign over the last several days. Democrat Jack Conway has even used the stomping video in an ad.
The TPM Poll Average shows Paul leading Conway 49.5-42.5.
Ryan J. Reilly
Ryan J. Reilly is a D.C.-based reporter for TPM. Prior to joining TPM, he worked for a news website covering the Justice Department and was a researcher for Bloomberg News. His email address is ryan(at)talkingpointsmemo.com.
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