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Family, attorney of Dearborn man accused of antisemitic threats want charges dismissed
The family and attorney of 35-year-old Hassan Chokr say he needs mental health help, not a jail cell.
BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (FOX 2) - The family and attorney of a Dearborn man accused of threatening preschoolers, parents, and others outside a Jewish synagogue say he needs mental health help, not a jail cell.
35-year-old Hassan Chokr is accused of making antisemitic and racist threats to parents, young children, and security at Temple Beth El; a preschool and synagogue in Bloomfield Hills on Friday, Dec. 2.
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Chokr's law team and family condemn his behavior and also say he needs mental health help.
"My client simply is not well; he needs help and treatment, not to be in a jail cell," said Attorney Nabih Ayad.
"He has been in and out of mental health institutions for years and never received the help he needs," said Hassan's brother.
These comments were made during a news conference in Dearborn put on by the Arab American Civil Rights League. They say this type of behavior only reinforces the need for mental health reform.
"Access to this kind of care, we believe is a civil right. We call on lawmakers to help families like Mr. Chokr who have spent decades struggling to find care for loved ones," said ACRL Executive Director Mariam Charara.
They also said the mental struggles Chokr has endured were on display even after the incident in front of Temple Beth El.
RELATED: Dearborn man accused of threatening Jewish temple moons Wayne County judge in separate case
"You can tell even after he was arrested. Giving the finger and mooning the Judge, these are things that show he is not in the state of mind to be let out, but also not confined in a jail cell," said Charara.
Chokr's legal team will be asking the judge to dismiss the felony ethnic intimidation charge or request a mental health exam to see if their client is fit for trial. He's being held on a $1 million cash bond in Oakland County.
Chokr also faces federal charges after lying on a federal firearms form when he sought to buy a shotgun, a rifle, and a semi-automatic pistol.
READ MORE: Man charged with antisemitic threats now faces federal charge of lying on gun application