NY stabbing suspect has long history of mental illness

NY stabbing suspect has long history of mental illness

AgenciesUpdated: Tuesday, December 31, 2019, 10:09 PM IST
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Grafton Thomas | (ElijahSchaffer/Twitter)

New York: Federal prosecutors in New York have included a hate crime on the list of charges against a man who on December 28 injured five Jews with a machete and a knife during Hanukkah celebrations.

Grafton Thomas, 37, "is accused on five charges of a federal hate crimes" federal prosecutors in the southern district of New York confirmed to Efe news in a statement on Monday.

Thomas has been accused on five charges of attempted murder plus one of burglary, and an additional five counts of obstructing the free exercise of religious beliefs by attempting to kill with a dangerous weapon and causing injuries, according to federal prosecutors, who have specified that almost all the charges are punishable with a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Thomas pleaded not guilty and his family said he did not belong to any hate groups, but added that he had a "long history of mental illness and hospitalizations".

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