Okay, some more detail for you on the case of the stomped MoveOn worker.
Lexington police say they're looking to talk to one Tim Profitt, who is believed to be Rand Paul's Bourbon County coordinator, on the strength of numerous tips they've received.
However, cops are looking to talk to many other people, too, according to Sherelle Roberts, a spokesperson for the Lexington cops. But the police do want to interview him, and are currently trying to contact him, she tells me.
"It is safe to say that we are investigating that name along with many others that we have gotten today," Roberts says. "We are working to make contact with him as soon as possible. As soon as we make contact with him, we will be questioning him."
Based on the Paul campaign's most recent statement, Paul aides have identified the assailant, or at least someone who played a key part in the melee. The Paul campaign said in that statement that they have "disassociated itself from the volunteer who took part in this incident."
Robert says cops will be asking the Paul campaign for the identity of the person.
However: It looks as if this may not result in an arrest. Based on the footage of the incident, cops are treating the case for the time being as a fourth degree assault case, which puts this in the realm of domestic violence scuffles and barfights, she tells me. She says they're treating this as a "misdemeanor, not a felony."
Cops have to witness a scuffle like this firsthand in order to make an arrest, she adds. If they do identify the suspect, the victim, Lauren Halle, has the right to ask a judge at Fayette district court to bring charges. In other words, this is likely to be up to the court.
More soon.
UPDATE, 3:36 p.m.: The Lexington police confirm it in a statement, adding that Profitt is now a suspect (I've edited the above to clarify):
The Lexington Division of Police has identified a suspect in connection to the October 25, 2010 assault of a woman at 600 Cooper Drive.
On the 25th, at approximately 7:00p.m., officers were alerted to an active assault at 600 Cooper Drive (Kentucky Educational Television Studios).
Officers responded to the scene of the assault and made contact with the victim. She identified herself as a member of MoveOn.org and stated she was assaulted while attempting to take a picture with candidate Rand Paul. Division of Police patrol officers took an assault report and forwarded the case to the Division of Police Bureau of Investigation.
Today, October 26, 2010, detectives identified the suspect, involved in the assault, as Tim Profitt. Mr. Profitt is currently being served with a criminal summons ordering him to appear before a Fayette County District Court Judge.
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