I was hoping someone in the media was going to call this out.

This "landscaping" story was truly fake news by the NYT. Paul had made no statement except thanks for the thoughts. A spokesman for him had just stated a few facts - that he had been cutting grass, had earplugs on and was sucker attacked. The police just had sketchy facts and nothing else, no motive. The neighbor's lawyer only said it was not political and that it was over a minor disagreement and he looked forward to them resuming friendship - implying- self servingly- for his client- that this was a two way street and that Paul was involved with this disagreement (and that they were friends). The NYT went with that and made up the whole lawn clippings as a theory, which also neatly suggested that Paul provoked and was involved in a dispute and further implied he was a bad neighbor - out of nothing that had been said yet by any principles or the police.