4 q9 G8 k0 F5 F! P8 ^, }8 x9 G* ~# ~7 V. o, x' b8 Y June 7, 2007, 11:58PM % N6 w+ y+ Y# C: v X- Y. DAlabama Senate ends with a bang, and blow2 I! k! j5 j6 e2 d5 O: C9 v8 n
9 @, q0 g7 w0 x4 ~; |4 X0 tMONTGOMERY, ALA. — Simmering tensions in the Alabama Senate boiled over Thursday when a Republican lawmaker punched a Democratic colleague in the head before they were pulled apart. * J: x2 m+ p, C: w9 e; b2 A5 x 7 K% C5 x) V' s) K% P: C8 P+ sRepublican Sen. Charles Bishop claimed that Democratic Sen. Lowell Barron called him a "son of a (expletive)."% r/ k* Z- b8 m
% H5 D' R2 s9 ~3 [7 t"I responded to his comment with my right hand," Bishop said. Alabama Public Television tape captured the punch.4 b' Y- v4 b2 S& J- P
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Barron did not comment and went into a closed-door meeting with other Democrats. , g y" U0 ?3 ]. d9 |" T4 G8 d, {0 q6 M5 L3 u0 ^% O
Sen. Vivian Figures went into the meeting carrying first aid supplies, but said Barron was not hurt.