Asked why he set free a man who went on to allegedly attack five Orthodox Jews with a machete at a Hanukkah party in a Monsey rabbi’s home — despite the man’s own mom asking he be committed — an Orange County judge passed the buck.
Greenwood Lake Justice Keith Garley, a retired NYPD cop, acknowledged that he presided over the since-sealed prosecution of Grafton Thomas following his arrest for allegedly menacing a cop last year.
The case resulted in an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal over the summer, a Rockland County prosecutor said at Thomas’ arraignment Sunday on five counts of attempted murder.
“That decision was made by the District Attorney’s Office,” Garley told The Post outside his Greenwood Lake home. “It’s a sealed case and I can’t comment on it.”
The Orange County DA’s Office declined to respond to Garley’s remarks, citing “the sealed aspect” of the case.
But Chief ADA Christopher Borek said, “In general, it’s the policy of the Orange County District Attorney’s Office to work with our law enforcement partners to ensure that offenders and those accused of offense receive appropriate referrals to mental health professionals.”
It’s unclear whether Garley invoked Kendra’s Law to order outpatient treatment for Thomas, whose lawyers have said suffers from mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression.
Thomas’ pastor, the Rev. Wendy Paige, has said that his mom, Kim Thomas, pleaded to have her son committed for inpatient treatment during a May 14 court hearing, but the judge refused.
The Orange County Department of Mental Health didn’t return a request for comment, and the nonprofit Mental Health Association in Orange County, which provides taxpayer-funded services, was closed Tuesday in advance of the New Year’s Day holiday.
Thomas, 37, was arrested by Greenwood Lake cops on Sept. 24, 2018, and charged with possession of a weapon, reckless endangerment and menacing a police officer, The Warwick Advertiser reported at the time.
The Warwick Police Department wouldn’t discuss the incident, and further details about it were unavailable.
Paige also told The Post about an incident in which Kim Thomas called 911 and asked for paramedics because her son was waving a knife in their kitchen, but it’s unclear if that led to his 2018 arrest.
One lawyer, Michael Sussman, also said during a news conference Monday that Thomas was off his meds during the weeks leading to Saturday night’s bloody attack.
In addition to state charges of attempted murder and burglary, Thomas on Monday was hit with federal hate-crime charges that could send him to prison for life.
Neither Sussman, who’s handling the state case, nor federal defender Susanne Brody returned requests for comment.