NY gov. aide allegedly assaults woman. Paterson calls her. Woman fails to show up at court hearing. What is your first thought?

Police records say that the alleged assault happened shortly before 8 p.m. on Halloween in the apartment she had shared with the aide, David W. Johnson, 37, and her 13-year-old son for about four years.

The woman told the police that Johnson had choked her, stripped her of much of her clothing, smashed her against a mirrored dresser and taken two telephones from her to prevent her from calling for help.

Johnson had had altercations with women earlier, reports The New York Times.

During the following months, the woman appeared at court twice to urge action in her case, claiming that the New York State Police had been pressing her to drop it. The New York State Police, which had no jurisdiction in the matter, affirmed that the woman was visited by a member of the governor’s personal security detail.

Just before her next court appearance to seek a final restraining order, the Governor Paterson phoned the woman, her lawyer said. During a 1-minute phone call, the governor asked the woman how she was doing and if there was anything he could do for her. “If you need me,” he said, according to Lawrence B. Saftler, the woman's lawyer, “I’m here for you.” Mr. Paterson said the call took place the day before the scheduled court hearing and maintained that the woman had initiated it.

When the day of the hearing arrived on Feb. 8, the woman did not show up, and therefore her case was dropped.

Mr. Saftler said the governor did not mention the court case during the phone call, but he would not say if the call had influenced her decision not to return to court.

Mr. Paterson said in a statement that he would ask Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo to investigate his administration’s handling of the matter. The governor also said he would suspend Mr. Johnson without pay.


Read more in The New York Times...