Cornell Student Accused of Antisemitic Threats Blamed Medication for Actions, According to Mother

21-year-old Patrick Dai, arrested for online threats against Jewish students at Cornell, posted apology shortly after threats, which mother says investigators should have shared; Defense points to medication for depression and anxiety as potential factor.

Patrick Dai, a 21-year-old Cornell University student, was arrested for posting threats against Jewish students on an online message board, including statements about beheading their children and shooting up a dining hall that serves kosher food.
Dai's mother, Bing Liu, suggested that his actions could have been triggered by his depression and anxiety medication, Lexapro, which he'd been taking after having taken three semesters off due to his mental health struggles.
Liu regularly brought Dai home on weekends due to concerns for his mental health, demonstrating her ongoing worry about his well-being.
After issuing the threats, Dai allegedly posted an apology online expressing remorse for his 'divisive statements' and called the targeting of innocent civilians 'shameful.'
Liu criticized the authorities for not revealing Dai's apology post, stating that the public should have been informed about this aspect of the case.
Despite his apology and mental health struggles, Dai now faces a federal charge of posting threats to kill or injure another using interstate communications, and school officials have called for him to be 'prosecuted to the full extent of the law.'