The family of the Monsey madman accused of stabbing five people with a machete during a Hanukkah celebration claimed he is “not a member of any hate groups” and that his mental illness is to blame for the bloody attack, according to a new report.
Grafton Thomas, 37, allegedly knifed celebrants gathered Saturday night at Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg’s Shul — leaving one in critical condition.
His lawyer Michael Sussman said that Thomas “has a long history of mental illness and hospitalizations.”
“He has no history of like violent acts and no convictions for any crime,” Sussman said in a statement obtained by the Times Herald-Record. “He has no known history of anti-Semitism and was raised in a home which embraced and respected all religions and races. He is not a member of any hate groups.”
The family has instructed Sussman “to seek immediate mental health evaluation of Grafton,” the statement continued.
“We believe the actions of which he is accused, if committed by him, tragically reflect profound mental illness for which, as noted above, Grafton has received episodic treatment before being released,” the lawyer added.
“Finally, we express our deepest concern and prayers for those injured physically and otherwise deeply affected by the events of Saturday night and our family’s earnest yearning for their well being,” the statement said. “We thank those who rendered medical attention to each of those injured.”
The statement echoes comments made earlier Sunday by Thomas’ pastor of 10 years, the Rev. Wendy Paige of the Hudson Highlands Cooperative Parish.
“Grafton is not a terrorist, he is a man who has mental illness in America and the systems that be have not served him well,” Paige said.
Paige appeared to be responding to Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who called the attack an “act of domestic terrorism.”
Thomas, who lives with his mom in Greenwood Lake, Orange County, was held on $5 million bail Sunday.
He was found covered in blood and reeking of bleach by the NYPD in Harlem shortly after the attack. He’s pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary.