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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 31 december 2019

Hate crimes charges against man accused in Hanukkah stabbing

By RYAN TARINELLI, JIM mourned for anti-Semitism groups." In a release, U.S.
MUSTIAN and LARRY NEU- when there is Semitic geno- Attorney Geoffrey S. Ber-
MEISTER cide" and a page with man said Thomas "targeted
Associated Press drawings of a Star of David his victims in the midst of a
MONSEY, N.Y. (AP) — Hand- and a swastika. religious ceremony, trans-
written journals contain- A phone recovered from forming a joyous Hanukkah
ing anti-Semitic references his car included repeated celebration into a scene of
were found in the home of internet searches for "Why carnage and pain."
the man charged with fed- did Hitler hate the Jews" William F. Sweeney Jr.,
eral hate crimes Monday in as well as "German Jew- head of New York's FBI of-
the stabbing and slashing ish Temples near me" and fice, said the possible life
of five people celebrat- "Prominent companies prison sentence that the
ing Hanukkah at a rabbi's founded by Jews in Amer- federal charges carry "for
house north of New York ica," the complaint said. this type of attack are se-
City, authorities said. On the day of the stab- vere and justified."
Grafton E. Thomas, 37, was bings, the phone's browser Thomas served in the Ma- Grafton Thomas is led from Ramapo Town Hall in Ramapo, N.Y.
held without bail after ap- was used to access an ar- rines and was president of following his arraignment Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019.
pearing in federal court in ticle titled: "New York City his class at a high school Associated Press
White Plains on five counts Increases Police Presence in Queens, Sussman said.
of obstructing the free ex- in Jewish Neighborhoods He attended William Pat- dried blood on it; a knife started stabbing and slash-
ercise of religious beliefs After Possible Anti-Semitic erson University between recovered from the rear of ing people in the home
by attempting to kill with Attacks. Here's What To 2005 and 2007, the univer- the seat appeared to have packed with dozens of
a dangerous weapon and Know," the complaint said. sity confirmed, where he dried blood and hair on it. congregants, the com-
causing injuries in the Satur- Defense attorney Michael played football as a walk- Thomas' aunt told The Asso- plaint said.
day attack. Authorities said Sussman told reporters he on running back. ciated Press that he had a The five victims suffered
a blood-stained 18-inch visited Thomas' home and Thomas' family said his "germ phobia" and would serious injuries — includ-
(45-centimeter) machete found stacks of notes he mental health deteriorated obsessively wash his hands ing a severed finger, slash
was recovered from his car. described as "the ramblings over the years. He would and feet with bleach. wounds and deep lacera-
The bearded Thomas, his of a disturbed individual" hear voices and have trou- She said Thomas grew tions — and at least one
ankles shackled, shuffled but nothing to point to an ble completing sentences up in the Crown Heights was in critical condition
into the courtroom in a pris- "anti-Semitic motive" or sug- at times, Paige and Suss- neighborhood of Brook- with a skull fracture, the
on jumpsuit, telling a judge gest Thomas "intentionally man said. lyn and "lived peacefully" complaint said. The rabbi's
who asked him if his head targeted" the rabbi's home. In court papers filed in a among Jewish neighbors. son was also injured.
was clear that he was "not "My impression from speak- 2013 eviction case in Utah, She said Thomas had not On Sunday, Thomas plead-
clear at all" and needed ing with him is that he Thomas said he suffered been taking his medication ed not guilty to five counts
sleep. But he added: "I am needs serious psychiatric from schizophrenia, de- and recently went missing of attempted murder and
coherent." evaluation," Sussman said. pression and anxiety and for a week. The woman one count of burglary. He
His court-appointed attor- "His explanations were not his "conditions are sponta- spoke on the condition of was detained on $5 million
ney, Susanne Brody, said terribly coherent." neous and untamed." anonymity out of fear she bail and refused to answer
Thomas has issues with bi- Thomas' family said he was Thomas was arrested within would lose her government questions as he was escort-
polar disorder and schizo- raised to embrace toler- two hours of the Saturday job for speaking publicly. ed to a vehicle.
phrenia. The stabbings on ance but has a long history night attack in Monsey. "They're making him look Thomas' criminal history in-
the seventh night of Hanuk- of mental illness, including When police pulled his car like this monster," she said in cludes an arrest for assault-
kah come amid a series multiple hospitalizations. over in Manhattan, he had a telephone interview. "My ing a police horse, accord-
of violent attacks target- "He has no history of like blood all over his clothing nephew is not a monster. ing to an official briefed on
ing Jews in the region that violent acts and no con- and smelled of bleach but He's just sick. He just needs the investigation who was
have led to increased se- victions for any crime," his said "almost nothing" to the help." not authorized to discuss
curity, particularly around family said in a statement. arresting officers, officials According to the com- the matter publicly and
religious gatherings. "He has no known history said. plaint, Thomas, a scarf cov- spoke to the AP on condi-
A criminal complaint said of anti-Semitism and was The criminal complaint said ering his face, entered the tion of anonymity.
journals recovered from raised in a home which authorities recovered a rabbi's home next door to A lawyer representing
Thomas' home in Green- embraced and respected machete under the front a synagogue and said "no Thomas at the arraign-
wood Lake included com- all religions and races. He is passenger seat that ap- one is leaving." He then ment said he had no
ments questioning "why ppl not a member of any hate peared to have traces of took out a machete and convictions.q