Finger Bitten Off In Scuffle at Health Care Rally

A 65-year-old man had his finger bitten off at a rally for health care reform near Los Angeles Wednesday night. Originally believed to be demostrating with a group of MoveOn-sponsored health care reform, advocates, William Rice now says he was not part of the rally, and did not go to advocate for his political views.

According to one bystander who was demonstrating across the street with a small group of anti-reform protestors, the reform supporter, Rice had aggressively threatened her friends who were "peaceful people holding up candles and signs." He landed a heavy blow to the face of one protester, who responded by chomping off Rice's pinky.

But reports conflict, and the identity of the biter remains unknown. Rice says the man yelled at him and called him an "idiot" before the altercation deteriorated into blows. It remains unclear why Rice was at an event he was not participating in, or how he came to be arguing with the counter-protesters, who were some distance away.

For details:

Health Care Vigil in Thousand Oaks [DrumsNWhistles]

Man Bites of Man's Finger at Obama Health Care Rally [Los Angeles Times]

Man's Finger Bitten off in Scuffle at Health Care Rally [KTLA]