NEW CITY – Grafton Thomas, the 37-year-old Greenwood Lake resident who was arrested for assaulting five people during a Hanukkah candle lighting ceremony in Monsey on December 28, has pled not guilty to 14 grand jury charges, including six counts of second-degree attempted murder.
Thomas was arraigned in Rockland on Thursday and is currently being held in a federal detention center in Westchester.
Dominick Crispino, the county prosecutor handling the trial, has called for Michael Sussman, Thomas’ attorney, to be removed from the case claiming that the attorney is a “witness” to the crime.
Crispino’s comments come after Sussman revealed to the court that he had conducted a private search of a cabin in Wurtsboro rented to his client and compiled a large body evidence that he has turned over to federal and state authorities.
Sussman was “honored” by Crispino’s comments. “I’m assuming that they’re a little bit embarrassed they didn’t gather the evidence in a timely manner,” after the court proceedings. The Goshen attorney has stated that he will not voluntarily step down from the case. The attorney claims “he had no idea” whether or not federal or state authorities had searched the property prior to his visit.
Sussman has also requested to visit the scene of the crime in order “to reconstruct” what happened that night, a right now granted by New York State’s new bail reform law, pending approval from the judge presiding over the case.
Sussman further asked that his client receive private psychiatric evaluation in addition to the state mandated assessment that will determine if Thomas is mentally competent to stand trial.
“Everyone involved on all sides must seek justice and justice requires the kind of examination we’re asking for,” said Sussman. “I feel, in this particular instance, that there is a tremendous pressure from state authority to view this situation in one way.”
