Prosecutors say Anthony Graziano confessed to continuing to throw firebombs inside a rabbi’s home despite hearing screaming inside, but his defense attorney said the admission shouldn’t be taken seriously due to his client’s mental health.
Graziano, 19, of Lodi, also admitted to the setting fire to a Paramus synagogue in addition to the Rutherford attack, Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Martin Delaney said. Graziano also looked up how to properly build and throw the incendiary devices, prosecutors allege.
“This is a rock-solid case against Mr. Graziano,” Delaney said.
Graziano’s attorney said his client has a mental health history, and in November he called a Lodi ambulance saying he was “feeling crazy.” Graziano was taken to a hospital where he was told to see a psychiatrist.
“It’s an indication that this is a person who has had problems,” said Robert Kalisch, Graziano’s attorney. “It’s rather clear that he has psychological and emotional problems. He can even be delusional at times.”
Graziano’s confession should be “taken with a grain of salt,” Kalisch said, given his mental health issues. Kalisch said he’s considering an insanity plea.
The revelations came in response to Graziano’s defense attorney seeking a reduction from his $5-million bail. Superior Court Judge Liliana DeAvila-Silebi cut the bail in half, saying that while Graziano is a danger to the community, he does not have any money.
If he does make bail, DeAvila-Silebi said he would have to surrender his passport, have no contact with the victims and would be banned from using the Internet. Graziano is accused of two arson attacks on local synagogues and pleaded not guilty Tuesday morning to additional charges that he planned a third attack on a Jewish center in Paramus.
He was charged late last week with gathering beer bottles and gasoline in plastic containers to make firebombs that authorities say he was going to hurl into the Jewish Community Center of Paramus on Jan. 7.
Graziano never carried out the attack, possibly because he was spooked by the increased police presence in the area, authorities said.
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One Response
If every criminal were to plead insanity, noone would be responsible for their own actions. Typical Jewish liberal lawyer that conjours up that nonsense. According to him, Eichmann was also insane and should have been institutionalized rather than being executed