Lawyer of the Day: Harry Batchelder
(And Court Reporter of the Day: Ron Tolkin)
The Empire State is sending all sorts of craziness our way lately. From the New York -- no, not the Washington -- Post:
A female federal prosecutor was viciously attacked by a hulking, razor-wielding drug dealer in a Brooklyn courtroom yesterday - and was saved when the thug's 72-year-old lawyer and others tackled him."He was going to slash her throat," said defense lawyer Harry Batchelder, who, along with a court reporter and two marshals, slammed Victor Wright, 27 [or 37?], to the ground and grabbed an inch-long razor blade from him.
Criminal defense lawyers are badass -- even the septuagenarians. And don't forget the court reporter:
"Why don't you try me instead of her?" stenographer Ron Tolkin shouted at the cowardly criminal as he leaped on Wright, before the group fell to the ground in a heap.Both the elderly lawyer and Tolkin, 60, are former military men who served in Vietnam.
And what about Judge Frederic Block (E.D.N.Y.) -- what did he do? From Newsday:
Block immediately left the bench after the melee started, and more marshals rushed into the courtroom and helped subdue Wright, court officials said.
That's too bad. This story would have been perfect with the addition of a black-robed avenger, whacking the criminal into submission with a gavel.
P.S. Despite our admiration for federal judges qua judges, if we needed to be defended against a knife-wielding lunatic, we'd go with a state court judge any day of the week. E.g., Judge Ira Robinson.
RAZOR MANIAC JUMPS FED PROSECUTOR IN COURT [New York Post]
Drug dealer attacks 2 in Brooklyn courtroom [New York Newsday]
(23) Comments
have you noticed how many inconsistencies there are between the post & newsday articles?
Yet another example of why the DOJ should not accept female prosecutors. I hope her husband does a better job with the case.
I think Newsday is the more reliable source
In CA many of the state court judges pack heat, and the result would have been different.
3:03 - I see the difference in the reported age of the defendant (27 vs. 37).
What else?
Too bad the death penalty can't be used to permanently deal with trash like this.
In fall 2005, the judge was driving his wife and daughter to the airport for a vacation when he came across an assailant attacking a cab driver on the side of the road. Walton tackled the assailant and subdued him until police arrived. The D.C. police spokesperson noted in response, "God bless Judge Walton. I surely wouldn't want to mess with him."
Old timey military men are so bad ass... didn't an 80 something WWII vet kill 3 carjackers in a Caribbean island a few months ago
It turned out that they were just german tourists 3:19.
So disappointed that Judge Block passed up the once in a lifetime opportunity to drop a flying elbow off the top rope (aka bench). Isn't that why they bench is elevated?
3:19 i think that was like a year ago but yes, an 80 WWII vet (Marine) killed one of the three men who were trying to rob his tour bus. the other two pooped their pants and ran away.
3:42 and 3:19,
I am also pretty sure that the oldster killed him with his bare hands - snapped his neck, or something to that effect. Amazing.
3:13 - also:
Pokorny was pulled down by her hair (Newsday) or throat (Post);
She didn't request medical assistance (Newsday) or was treated at the hospital for bruising to her neck (Post);
Innelli is the judge's "case manager" (Newsday) or "courtroom deputy" (Post).
3:49,
I can't speak to the other points, but "case manager" and "courtroom deputy" tend to be used synonymously in the EDNY, so it's entirely possible that the reporters were given different titles for the same person.
The judge should have thrown the gavel, that would have been gnarly inevery sense of the word.
Caused quite a stir in the EDNY court house yesterday. . . .
Maybe Judge Block could incorporate this into another one of his country & western musicals.
Um, so much for the metal detectors.
I predict Judge Block will one-day reign as Judge of the Day.
From the NY Daily News:
BIZARRE BENCH-REMARKS. Brooklyn Federal Judge Frederic Block's reputation among lawyers is summed up in the Almanac of the Federal Judiciary. "He has a professional demeanor, but he is sometimes inappropriate and out of touch," the Almanac reads. "He doesn't appreciate the seriousness of his comments for the litigants." Block was appointed to the federal bench in Brooklyn by then-President Clinton in 1994. Here's a look at some of his most memorable comments:. Contemplating bail for a Korean-American defendant, Block said he was concerned about having "egg foo young on my face" if the defendant did not return to court. During testimony by an expert witness discussing the mental abilities of a person with an IQ of 96, Block interjected that his IQ happened to be 96 and wondered whether that made him unqualified to be a judge. Block told an unruly defendant that U.S. marshals would gag him with duct tape if he didn't calm down in court. At the retrial of Lemrick Nelson for allegedly killing a Hasidic man, Block asked a black witness to define the slang term "'chillin' for somebody who is not a brother.". Furious over leaks in a mob case, Block expressed concern that a newspaper reporter was bugging his chambers.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/2007/01/26/2007-01-26_wacky_judge_who_needs_jury__makes_offthe_print.html
5:37: Apparently remanded defendants facing a mandatory life sentence do not pass metal detectors.
Thanks for putting this song in my head:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZoJleb-Gr0
Ummm, okay 3:06. Welcome to 2008.
Hurray for the 2 Marshals who did their job and didn't get any recognition. As for the court reporter, he's going around telling EVERYONE his story.