Paterson violent ‘knock out game’ suspect takes plea deal

PATERSON — An 18-year-old city man who punched a man on the sidewalk as part of the "knockout game" has taken a plea deal that will put him behind bars for up to three years.

Kristian Gonzalez's lawyer, Harley D. Breite, told NJ Advance Media that his client  will accept a deal "that is in the best interest of my client." 

Gonzalez, who was 17 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty in February to aggravated assault and endangering after video of the incident went viral.

In the video, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Yates said Gonzalez approaches a man as others off-camera yell “don’t hit him.” The a young man says something to the person. Gonzalez turns his back to the camera, and another voice tells him “knock him out.” The young man throws a punch at the victim, who falls flat, as an off-camera voice laughs.

After receiving many reports about the video, Paterson police investigated where the video was recorded and eventually arrested Gonzalez and a 16-year-old.

Breite later said that Gonzalez, a senior at Great Falls Academy in Paterson, takes medication for schizophrenia, obsessive defiant disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity.

The victim in the video, who identified himself as Cesar Nehara, 37, said the punch broke a tooth and left him homebound for eight days after the December attack.