By stephen Stirling
Vihn Dinh, 37, of 42 West Fordham Road in the Bronx, was convicted of first-degree gang assault last month for attacking a Flushing man at Coco Bar on 41st Avenue in May, his fourth felony conviction.”The defendant in this case was well aware that he could face life in prison if convicted of another violent felony,” Brown said. “He showed no mercy to his victim and now he will be punished for a vicious and senseless attack. Justice has been served.”Brown said that following a court conviction on extortion charges in New Jersey, Dihn was warned he would face life in prison if found guilty of another felony. He also has two previous convictions in Manhattan, according to the DA.According to Brown, Dinh and co-defendant Hendra Setiawan were in the Coco Bar at 131-37A 41st Ave. in Flushing on May 27 when they attacked a 30-year-old man. Brown said a video surveillance of the incident showed Dinh and Setiawan punching the man several times until he fell to the floor unconscious.While the victim was knocked out on the floor, the video showed Dinh picking up a bar stool and smashing it over the man's head, the DA said.The victim, who was not named, suffered a depressed skull fracture, a fractured eye socket and bruises, and needed three staples in his forehead. He still suffers from blurred vision, the DA said.Setiawan pleaded guilty to second-degree assault on July 2 and was sentenced to time served and five years probation, the DA said.Assaults in bars have been a growing problem for the 109th Precinct, which covers Flushing, Whitestone, College Point, Auburndale and parts of Bay Terrace. Last year they accounted for more than 20 percent of the Precinct's 252 felony assaults, according to Deputy Inspector Matthew Whelan, the precinct's commanding officer.Criminal statistics show reported assaults were up more than 20 percent from 2006-07.Whelan said the precinct takes the increase seriously and recently met with more than three dozen bar and nightclub owners to build relationships and educate the business owners about ways of improving security.The precinct has also been working with the State Liquor Authority to crack down on bars and nightclubs that are persistent problems, taking steps to close such establishments if necessary.Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at Sstirling@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 138.
