if a comatose victim dies from his wounds, a federal prosecutor said Monday.Grafton Thomas, 37, didn’t react visibly when Assistant US Attorney Michael Krouse raised the potential of capital punishment in the high-profile case during a court hearing in White Plains.
In response to a question from Judge Cathy Seibel, Krouse said it was unclear whether everyone injured in last month’s bloodbath would survive.
"One of the victims does remain in a coma," Krouse said.
"Other than that, we do not have a strong sense of that."
The most seriously injured victim, 72-year-old Josef Neumann, suffered a machete wound that "penetrated his skull directly into the brain," according to his family, which has said that the likelihood he will regain consciousness was slim.
"All I know is they are not very hopeful," son David Neumann tearfully told news hounds on Jan. 2.
Thomas, who’s being held without bail, also said told Magistrate Judge Paul Davison hat he was taking anti-psychotic and anti-depressant medication in jail.
Thomas — whose lawyer has said he was off his meds during the Dec. 28 rampage in Monsey — appeared lucid and cogent while answering questions from Davison, including whether he was was on any medication.
“As prescribed, I have taken Prozac, 20 [milligrams], and Latuda, 80 milligrams, at night,” Thomas said.
Sussman has denied that Thomas was motivated by hate, saying he has a lengthy history of mental illness that includes psychosis and depression, with symptoms including auditory hallucinations.
In addition to the federal charges Rockland County prosecutors have charged him with six counts of attempted murder, three counts of attempted assault and two counts of burglary.