US Judge orders sprayer restrained

HA NOI — Judge Gilbert T. Brown of Santa Clara County Court, California, has ordered Vietnamese-American Ly Tong, 64, who allegedly assaulted singer Dam Vinh Hung while dressed as a woman, to stay at least 100 metres from his victim.

The judge also reduced Tong's bail from US$100,000 to $75,000 while he awaits trial on six charges including assault with a deadly weapon, the unauthorised use of pepper spray and resisting arrest.

A spokesperson for Viet Nam's Consulate General in San Francisco described the attack as during a concert in the Santa Clara Convention Centre brutal and uncivilised.

Hung and other Vietnamese singers were bridging the gap between overseas Vietnamese in the US and their motherland, the spokesperson said.

In January 2000, Tong, who lives in San Jose, violated Viet Nam's airspace to drop leaflets against the State and was subsequently charged with violating Thai airspace.

Judge Brown's restraining order is effective for one year. — VNS