Woman Who Accused Paterson Aide of Abuse Speaks Out

The woman who dropped her legal action against a top adviser to Governor Paterson after the Governor and his minions allegedly pressured her to hush up, has spoken to the press for the first time. In an interview with the Daily News and WNBC-TV, Sherr-una Booker says she will again pursue charges against Paterson's former aide David Johnson, who allegedly flew into a rage last Halloween and choked her, tore off her costume, and threw her against a mirrored dresser.

Booker, who has been silent since the scandal was exposed and ended Paterson's election bid, now says she was motivated to come forward after a domestic violence victim sought her out at the Harlem hospital where she works. "She said, 'Aren't you that lady?'... She had given birth to a child and he was about 4 months old, I remember. And her spouse broke her arm. And she had to take care of this 4-month-old child with a broken arm, and it wasn't easy. She said that she didn't speak out for years. She never said a word. She'd make excuses. And finally she did get away. But she never said anything."

Booker declined to elaborate on the incident but says she stands by her statements in Family Court last November, when she said that New York state troopers had been "harassing me to drop the charges and I wouldn't." The Attorney General's office is still investigating what role Paterson and his staff played in influencing Booker to drop the charges, but as the story broke, five top administration officials resigned. (Here's a handy timeline of how it all played out in February.) Booker says she'll be filing charges against Johnson as soon as possible, and tells NBC, "Being a Christian, I always expect the truth to come out."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on July 22, 2010 12:32 PM

Comments [rss]

cleanupnynow

It is so hypocritical for David Paterson to make domestic violence a signature issue of his while hiring woman beaters as his two closest aides. For too long, David Paterson has used the state as an employment agency for his friends, gal-pals and associates. This practice needs to STOP NOW.

David Paterson proved long ago that he could not govern. “The Democratic Conference: Organizational and Operational Structure Report” is an eyewitness account of Paterson’s DYSFUNCTIONAL governing nature.

http://www.politico.com/static/PPM110_demreportfinal.html

This report heavily criticized Paterson’s leadership as Senator Minority leader. His office was criticized for PATRONAGE, LACK OF LEADERSHIP, INDECISIVENESS and INFIGHTING, set against a backdrop of general CHAOS – in other words the office was a ZOO. Those interviewed in the report indicated that its chief of staff the disorganized Michael Jones-Bey had no management skills, and would get DRUNK with staff, often coming in the office with a HANGOVER, and should be fired.

Amazingly, for running such a DYSFUNCTIONAL CHAOTIC office, the disorganized Michael Jones-Bey was hand picked by David Paterson to mismanage the Division of Minority & Women Owned Business Development at Empire State Development Corporation.

His staff and all his friends that he has placed in jobs need to be cleaned out...GET HIM AND THEM OUT NOW.

This UN-ELECTED GOV needs to go now, before more damage is done and more of the wrong people profit from his office.

John L

You know what I, as a Democrat, don't appreciate? The smearing and character assassination that the Democratic Party performed on David Paterson. That report that you cite as evidence is not worth the paper is was written on because anyone who even has a passing interest in politics knows that a member of any party, be it the Democrats or Republicans, will not allow one member to smear another without approval from the heads of the party. This was clearly a political assassination approved by the party leaders and carried out by a Democrat with the intent on destroying his fellow Democrat.

I also do not appreciate that they pay trolls like you to sit on their computer and "cut and paste" this nonsense whenever Paterson's name comes up.

http://connect.silive.com/user/cleanupnynow/index.html

http://dnainfo.com/20100716/manhattan/gov-david-paterson-spent-700000-legal-fees-during-last-fiscal-quarter/comments

http://www.observer.com/2010/politics/curtis-sliwa-invades-dem-convention

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/albany_blowing_budget_deadline_pU2sGrj7nVMDXIqFVhrQIJ

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE6605HO20100701

http://politics.usnews.com/news/articles/2010/05/27/analysis-nys-schumer-gillibrand-seem-safe-bets/comments/

http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2010/07/07/vetoes-dissapoint-silver/

http://www.nydailynews.com/forums/thread.jspa?threadID=89884

http://gothamist.com/2010/06/29/paterson_promises_to_veto_legislatu.php

http://www.politico.com/blogs/maggiehaberman/0710/Patersons_potkettle_moment_with_LeBron.html

And the list goes on

http://www.google.com/search?q=democratic+conference+organizational+and+operational+structure+report&hl=en&safe=off&pwst=1&ei=pwNJTIjqAsP98AaNlKm_Dg&start=10&sa=N

This is all you do all day? So how much are they paying you for this "work"?

And most New Yorkers sadly fall for it. It's propaganda ladies and gentlemen. If the media wouldn't have ridiculed Paterson and made him look inept, at the Democrats request, then everyone would be saying how he's such a strong leader right now. But when he didn't bow down to the Democrats "Chosen One", Cuomo, they destroyed him. They used everything in their arsenal to destroy a fellow democrat just to make room for their King.

John L

Much ado about nothing.

This is just a domestic dispute got a little out of hand, as they sometimes do. When the police arrived they found no bruises on this woman yet she has chosen to destroy so many lives over some pushing and shoving. Unless there's a history of abuse by this Johnson guy or he has continued to harass her, both of which seem improbable because she hasn't mentioned anything, then she should just move on.

Domestic abuse is a very serious matter and I am sympathetic towards "real" domestic abuse victims, including the woman she says sought her out and inspired her to resume her charges (which sounds unlikely), but to equate her one incident with this woman who's arm was broken, or the millions of women who live in fear of being beaten and/or killed on a daily basis, is a disservice to those "real" victims.

Not to say this Johnson guy should get off scot free but this whole inquisition seems like a bit much in comparison to what actually happened that night. If he wasn't Paterson's right hand man, and the Democrats wouldn't jave been out to destroy Paterson for not dropping out of the race against Cuomo, Johnson would've received an ADT or at worst a few hours of community service.

What relationship hasn't seen at least one incident where an object was thrown or a little pushing and shoving occurred, it's unfortunate but it happens, can that be considered domestic abuse? Even if it was a one time thing that didn't result in injuries? If that's the case then millions of men and women should be in jail, alongside all the "real" abusers that have beaten, maimed and killed their significant others.

In my opinion, this is just a woman scorned looking for revenge by capitalizing on a unremarkable, onetime incident who's accusation was sensationalized to destroy a politician who was going to run for governor against his party's wishes.