Drug dealer attacks 2 in Brooklyn courtroom

BY ANTHONY M. DESTEFANO | anthony.destefano@newsday.com

A convicted drug dealer went wild in federal court in Brooklyn Tuesday, yanking a woman prosecutor to the floor and then cutting his defense attorney with a razor, said officials said.

Victor Wright, 37, had to be pulled off Assistant U.S. Attorney Carolyn Pokorny by two Vietnam veterans -- his defense attorney and a court reporter -- as well as some U.S. marshals, the officials said.

The pandemonium occurred just as Wright was about to be sentenced to life in prison by U.S. District Judge Frederick Block for drug crimes he committed while part of a notorious Queens gang run by Kenneth McGriff, who is serving a life sentence for murder-for-hire.

Wright rushed past his attorney, Harry Batchelder, straight to Pokorny, who was standing in the well of the court, said Michael Innelli, Block's case manager. Wright pulled a screaming Pokorny, 38, down by her hair, said Innelli, who like Block pushed special panic buttons to call more marshals.

Court reporter Ron Tolkin, 60, of Babylon, and Batchelder, 72 -- a former Air Force Special Forces officer from Brooklyn -- were the first to grapple with Wright, said Block.

"I saw the rage in his eyes as soon as he turned to Carolyn Pokorny," said Tolkin.

Block immediately left the bench after the melee started, and more marshals rushed into the courtroom and helped subdue Wright, court officials said.

Batchelder said Wright cut him with a razor. A small blade was found on the courtroom floor. Emergency medical crew bandaged the wound.

Pokorny, who has been head of the drug unit in the Brooklyn U.S. Attorney's Office for about two years, was shaken up but didn't request medical assistance, court officials said.