Michael Sussman, the 37-year-old suspect's attorney, said he talked about "various auditory hallucinations and one might say 'demons.'" Thomas has a "long history of mental illness and hospitalizations," his family said in a statement released by the attorney.
Thomas pleaded not guilty to five counts of attempted murder Sunday. A day later, he was charged by federal agents with obstruction of free exercise of religious beliefs involving an attempt to kill -- a federal hate crime. A judge ordered him to be detained.
Federal prosecutors say Thomas entered the rabbi's home in Monsey, located north of Manhattan, on Saturday night and told the dozens of people there "no one is leaving." He attacked them with an 18-inch machete, with at least five victims suffering injuries ranging from slash wounds to a severed finger and a skull fracture, federal prosecutors said.
"We believe the actions of which he is accused, if committed by him, tragically reflect profound mental illness for which ... Grafton has received episodic treatment before being released," his family said in the statement.
In an undated resume Thomas wrote, he called himself a "highly motivated, open minded, flexible, athletic individual," who was "seeking positive and challenging experiences in life."
In the resume, which was shown to CNN by Sussman on Monday, Thomas wrote he was the school president of David Ruggles Junior High School -- a school in Brooklyn that no longer operates -- for two years. He also wrote the words "Marine Corp Recruit."
Sussman told CNN Thomas had joined the Marines for a short period of time, during which he sustained injuries and left. CNN has been unable to independently confirm Thomas was in the Marines.
Suspect had no known history of anti-Semitism, family says
Investigators charged Thomas with a federal hate crime after discovering anti-Semitic journal entries in his home -- including references to "Adolf Hitler" and "Nazi Culture," according to the criminal complaint.
Sussman said that while he hadn't seen those entries, he had reviewed earlier writings from Thomas which reflected the "ramblings of a disturbed individual" but contained "no suggestion ... of an anti-Semitic motive, of any anti-Semitism."
The suspect's family said Thomas had "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."
One entry in Thomas' journal said "Hebrew Israelites" took from the "powerful ppl (ebinoid Israelites)" and questioned "why ppl mourned for anti-Semitism when there is Semitic genocide." The criminal complaint said "ebinoid Israelites" appears to be a reference to the "Black Hebrew Israelite" movement.
Sussman said he hadn't heard anything that indicated the suspect was involved in the "Black Hebrew Israelite" movement -- which is comprised of some groups or members that have expressed anti-Semitic sentiments.
The Southern Poverty Law Center does not recognize the overall movement as a hate group but does list dozens of groups within the Black Hebrew Israelite movement as hate groups because its worldview and rhetoric are informed by bigotry against whites and Jews, according to Heidi Beirich, director of the SPLC Intelligence Project.
Prior arrests
Thomas had been arrested twice before, public defender Kristine Ciganek told a judge during Thomas' arraignment Sunday on attempted murder charges.
Those arrests were earlier this year for menacing and reckless endangerment, Rockland County Senior Assistant District Attorney Michael Dugandzic said. The outcome of those charges weren't immediately clear.
Thomas' family said he had no history of similar violent acts and had no prior convictions.
His mother, a registered nurse who works in a New York City hospital, wasn't ready to speak to reporters, Sussman said.
United Methodist Church Pastor Wendy Paige, who has known Thomas for the past 10 years, said he has a mental illness and is "not a terrorist."
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