Two New York City Housing Authority employees, Travor Nurse and Diamond Minter, pleaded not guilty on Wednesday, October 9th, to felony assault charges stemming from an altercation involving former New York Governor David Paterson and his stepson, Anthony Sliwa. The incident, which took place on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, escalated after Sliwa confronted a group of young people climbing on a structure outside their building.
According to prosecutors, the confrontation intensified later that evening when Paterson and Sliwa, son of Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, encountered the same group outside a nearby McDonald’s. Nurse and Minter, who reportedly intervened, allegedly escalated the situation. Nurse is accused of throwing Sliwa to the ground and kicking him, while Minter allegedly held back Sliwa’s arms as two teenagers, ages 12 and 13, stomped on him. The teens are being handled in family court.
Paterson, 70, was also assaulted during the incident. According to the prosecution, Nurse struck Paterson in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. Both Paterson and Sliwa were treated for their injuries at a hospital and later released.
Defense attorneys for Nurse and Minter argue that their clients were attempting to defuse what they perceived as a situation where adults were harassing children. Nurse’s lawyer, Jeffrey Chabrowe, emphasized that the altercation spun out of control as his client tried to intervene. Minter’s lawyer, Zachary Wechsler, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that Minter stepped in to stop the dispute from escalating further.
Nurse’s bail was set at $25,000 cash or $50,000 bond, while Minter was released on supervised release. Both men are expected to appear in court again this Friday. The incident has been described as traumatic for Paterson and his family, with Paterson’s spokesperson stating they are eager to move past the ordeal and seek justice.
Paterson served as New York’s governor from 2008 to 2010, taking over after the resignation of Eliot Spitzer. The case continues to draw attention, with both sides preparing for the next phase of legal proceedings.
