Amid Sean Bell Protests, Those Seeking Change Eye Paterson

The city's attention is trained on the Reverend Al Sharpton today as he leads a series of protests sparked by the acquittal of three detectives who shot and killed an unarmed black man, but upstate, another man has become a focus for those seeking change in the wake of the Sean Bell verdict: Governor Paterson.

Black elected officials critical of how justice is meted out when police are accused of wrongdoing have seen a chance for long-awaited change with Mr. Paterson's recent rise to the governorship. But in the nearly two weeks that have passed since the verdict, the governor has been relatively quiet, as leaders in the black community have come out in vocal opposition to the judge's decision.

It was not always so.

Mr. Paterson, as a state senator from Harlem in 1999, was on the front lines when another unarmed black man, Amadou Diallo, was shot by police officers. He introduced bills, marched through the streets, criticized the mayor, and was arrested.

Now, black officials in particular are watching anxiously to see if the governor is the same David Paterson who was handcuffed alongside them years ago, or if he will quietly shelve his old causes under the pressure of his new office.

Assemblyman Ruben Diaz Jr. — who also was arrested during the Diallo trial — said he is hopeful that Mr. Paterson will support the proposals that he and his colleagues are introducing this time around, many of which resemble ideas that Mr. Paterson himself once proposed.

They include the appointment of an independent prosecutor to investigate police officers, the appointment of an independent investigator to protect crime scenes where police are involved, and a state law that would change the requirements for police officers who seek a bench trial.

"We always had a supporter in Senator David Paterson, and we always had a supporter in Lieutenant Governor Paterson. We fully expect to have a supporter in Governor David Paterson," Mr. Diaz said.

Assemblyman Hakeem Jeffries said he recognizes the demands of the governor's new role.

"As a governor, David Paterson certainly has a broader constituency than he did," Mr. Jeffries said. But, he added: "He still is a favorite son of 125th Street. Given his background and his sensitivity, I'm confident that he will help lead the effort."

Asked for comment during the past week, representatives of the governor have said he is considering the proposals.

Among some black leaders, expectations are lower that the governor might step out as the standard-bearer for the post-Bell proposals.

The Reverend Herbert Daughtry, who is helping to lead today's protests, said his expectations of Mr. Paterson as governor are "not the same" as when Mr. Paterson joined him in the Diallo protests a decade ago.

State Senator Eric Adams said he believes the governor is right to stay out of the discussions for now.

Still, Mr. Diaz called the possibility of inaction by Mr. Paterson "very disappointing."

"But I'm not willing to concede that he's going to disappoint us," he said. "In all of his years of services, David Paterson hasn't had much of a record of letting his community down."