Matthew Mahrer, who was one of many males plotting to assault New York Metropolis synagogues, is arraigned in Manhattan prison courtroom on Nov. 19, 2022.
William Miller
One in all two males accused of plotting to assault New York Metropolis synagogues is Jewish and the grandson of a Holocaust survivor, his legal professional claimed in courtroom Saturday.
Matthew Mahrer, 22, was ordered held on $150,000 bail at his arraignment in Manhattan Legal Courtroom on fees of prison possession of a weapon although his lawyer requested that he be launched on his personal recognizance.
“There are numerous questions right here,” protection legal professional Brandon Freycint mentioned of Mahrer, who has allegedly been identified with autism, bipolar dysfunction, nervousness and ADHD.
“My shopper is of Jewish heritage. He resides together with his dad and mom and his grandfather is definitely a 93-year-old Holocaust survivor — and my shopper is his part-time caretaker,” Freycinet mentioned.
Mahrer and pal Christopher Brown have been busted Friday on the Lengthy Island Rail Highway with brown carrying weapons and a Nazi armband, based on police sources.
Cops seized a loaded handgun with an prolonged journal and a bulletproof vest from Mahrer’s Higher West Facet condominium that he and a buddy allegedly deliberate to make use of in a synagogue assault, prosecutors mentioned.
Mahrer’s protection legal professional, Brandon Freycinet, argued that his shopper has no prison historical past and mentioned he’s of “Jewish heritage.”
However Mahrer had no prison document and his dad and mom had cooperated with cops, his legal professional mentioned. The accused had hung out in homeless shelters earlier than shifting in together with his dad and mom a couple of 12 months in the past, the legal professional added.
“Primarily based on that, choose, my shopper shouldn't be implicated in something involving hatred in direction of his personal individuals and his personal faith,” he mentioned.
Assistant District Lawyer Emilio Hernandez mentioned Mahrer and Brown traveled to Pennsylvania collectively and purchased the gun “with intent to make use of it in an assault at a synagogue.”
The FBI and NYPD had been on the path of Mahrer and Brown, a “identified schizophrenic” who lately advised members of the family that he wished to go to New York and purchase a gun, sources mentioned.
“The dad and mom of this defendant alerted law enforcement officials to the existence of a firearm throughout the backpack of the defendant contained in the defendant’s condominium,” Hernandez mentioned.
Prosecutors claimed the pair have been conscious that police have been in search of them and determined to go away the firearm within the backpack within the condominium.
Mahrer’s dad and mom have been within the gallery for the arraignment. Because the protection legal professional spoke of her son, her husband wrapped his arm round her shoulder.
“He’s not what they're saying he's,” his mother advised The Publish exterior the courtroom. His father declined to remark.
Mahrer is due again in courtroom Wednesday.
Brown, 21, is charged with making terroristic threats, aggravated harassment and prison possession of a weapon, the NYPD mentioned. He was not arraigned Saturday.
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