Two individuals, Diamond Minter, 34, and Trevor Nurse, 40, pleaded not guilty to felony assault charges on Tuesday after their arrest for allegedly attacking former New York Governor David Paterson and his stepson, Anthony Sliwa. The arrests occurred on Monday in Manhattan, escalating the total number of suspects to four, including two young boys ages 12 and 13, who were apprehended over the weekend.

The altercation unfolded Friday night on Manhattan’s Upper East Side when Paterson and Sliwa encountered a group of youths climbing on a structure outside their building. According to defense lawyers, Minter and Nurse, both employees of the New York City Housing Authority, intervened in an attempt to de-escalate a confrontation. However, the situation escalated, resulting in the former governor and his stepson sustaining bruises and injuries.

Nurse faces an additional charge of second-degree assault due to the age of one of the victims, with Paterson being over 65 years old. Details about the legal representation for Minter and Nurse were not disclosed at the time of their arraignment. Investigators were originally on the lookout for a total of five suspects in connection with the assault, according to initial reports. By Monday evening, charges had been brought against four individuals. It remained uncertain whether the police were still searching for any additional suspects linked to the incident.

Paterson served as the Governor of New York from 2008 to 2010. He ascended to the governorship following the resignation of Governor Eliot Spitzer, who stepped down amid a scandal involving sex workers. Paterson, a Democrat, made history as New York’s first African American governor and the second legally blind governor in the United States. Despite his initially high approval ratings, Paterson’s popularity declined over his term, and he announced in 2010 that he would not seek a full term as governor.

NEW YORK – JUNE 28: NY state governor David Paterson greets attendees of pride parade on June 28 2009 in New York City.

Describing the ordeal to reporters on Saturday afternoon, former governor Paterson recounted being “punched in the face a couple times,” according to NBC New York. He also noted that his stepson, Anthony Chester Sliwa, needed five stitches for a cut on his lip. The incident occurred as Paterson, who is legally blind, and Sliwa were out walking the family dog around 8:30 p.m. near Second Avenue and East 96th Street. Paterson explained that the attack followed an earlier confrontation that happened roughly 45 minutes prior. He detailed that during the initial incident, Sliwa had spotted a group of teenagers climbing the fire escape of a nearby building.

Paterson said that the fire escape had previously been used for unauthorized access to buildings, leading to vandalism or theft. He mentioned that Sliwa had admonished the youths for their actions. Less than an hour after this initial incident, Paterson joined Sliwa for a walk and they encountered the same group of teenagers, who this time had additional adults with them.

September 1, 2008, Brooklyn New York Governor David Paterson at Labor Day Parade Ceremony

“[A woman] threw the first punches in the actual fight and another adult was the second person to throw punches,” Paterson explained. Both he and Sliwa sustained minor injuries, including bruises and cuts, and were taken to the hospital. They were released by Saturday morning. A spokesperson for Paterson commented on Monday, “Governor Paterson and his family are happy that these two adults were caught. Friday night was a traumatic experience for the Governor and his stepson and they are looking forward to putting this entire thing behind them as quickly as possible.”

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Harlem, Paterson earned a Bachelor’s degree in history from Columbia University and a law degree from Hofstra Law School. Before becoming governor, he had a long career in state politics, starting with his election to the New York State Senate in 1985, where he represented Harlem. As governor, Paterson faced significant challenges, including the 2008 financial crisis, which demanded severe fiscal adjustments. His tenure was marked by efforts to balance the state budget and to address ethical issues in politics, although his administration was also marred by controversies, including a scandal involving the mishandling of a domestic violence case involving one of his aides, which led to criticism.