Bronx man sentenced for punching man into coma

Bui Van Phu was sentenced to two to four years in prison for attempted assault and three and a half to seven years for criminal possession of a weapon. The sentences will run concurrently.

In August 2022, Jesus Cortes was outside a restaurant on the Grand Concourse when Van Phu came up from behind and punched him in the head. The attack was unprovoked and was captured on surveillance video.

Cortes suffered a fractured skull, a broken eye socket and multiple facial fractures. He was in a coma for a month.

For the first time, Cortes came face to face with Van Phu in the courtroom and delivered an emotional victim impact statement. Cortes says he has never seen Van Phu before and doesn't understand why he attacked him.

“This man beat me, I was about to die, I spent a lot of time in the hospital, until today I have several fractures in my head, yesterday they just fixed the nose, I don't know what else to expect,” Cortés said.

Two years later, Cortes says he still undergoes medical procedures for his fractures and is afraid to leave his house.

At the time of the incident, Van Phu was on lifetime parole for sexual abuse and criminal possession of a firearm.

Van Phu's lawyer declined to comment on the sentence.