U.S. Teen Admits Dismembering Body

A Maryland teenager entered a surprise plea of innocent to charges of murdering a classmate but admitted he helped dismember the body and burn it, setting the stage for a trial that could strain U.S.-Israeli ties. The grisly 1997 killing in Maryland of Alfred Tello Jr. has pitted the Israeli justice system against members of the U.S. House of Representatives and Atty. Gen. Janet Reno, who are angry at Israel for refusing to extradite Samuel Sheinbein. The plea means Sheinbein will face a full trial in Israel, where he fled a few days after Tello’s mutilated, dismembered body was found. Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that Sheinbein technically is an Israeli citizen and therefore could not be extradited. His father was born in Israel.