JERUSALEM: COURT RULES THAT U.S. TEENAGER SAMUEL SHEINBEIN WANTED FOR MURDER IN AMERICA CAN BE EXTRADITED DESPITE HIS ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP CLAIMS

Record ID: 639796

  • Title: JERUSALEM: COURT RULES THAT U.S. TEENAGER SAMUEL SHEINBEIN WANTED FOR MURDER IN AMERICA CAN BE EXTRADITED DESPITE HIS ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP CLAIMS
  • Date: 6th September 1998
  • Summary: JERUSALEM (SPETMEBER 6, 1998)(RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV EXTERIOR JERUSALEM DISTRICT COURT 0.06 2. SV FATHER OF SAMUEL SHEINBEIN ENTERS COURTHOUSE 0.14 3. SV MOTHER OF SHEINBEIN ENTERS COURTHOUSE 0.20 4. MV MEDIA CROWD 0.24 5. SCU/SV SHEINBEIN SURROUNDED BY POLICE (2 SHOTS) 0.39 6. SV SHEINBEIN'S BROTHER TRYING TO PROTECT HIM FROM PHOTOGRAPHERS 1.09 7. SV PARENTS SITTING IN COURTROOM, MOTHER MAKING GESTURE TOWARDS REPORTERS 1.15 8. SV DEFENCE TEAM, ATTORNEY DAVID LIBAI ON LEFT 1.23 9. SV SHEINBEIN'S MOTHER SAYING: "I WAS PESSIMISTIC FROM THE BEGINNING." (ENGLISH) 1.27 10. WS/SCU LIBAI SAYING: "HE WAS BORN AS AN ISRAELI CITIZEN. HE IS EXTRADITABLE. THIS IS THE VERDICT. WE ARE GOING TO SUBMIT APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT AND THE FINAL DECISION OF COURSE WILL BE GIVEN BY THE SUPREME COURT. BECAUSE IT IS REALLY A LEGAL ISSUE, THE WAY THE JUDGE PUT IT: NOW IT'S A LEGAL ISSUE. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ISRAELI CITIZENSHIP?" (ENGLISH) (3 SHOTS) 2.00 11. SV/SCU STATE PROSECUTOR SAYING: "HE SHOULD BE A PERSON WHO HAS STRONG TIES TO ISRAEL, WHICH IN THIS CASE WE DIDN'T HAVE. BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE MINOR THAT WAS IN THE UNITED STATES HAD AN AMERICAN PASSPORT. HE WAS NOT AN ISRAELI CITIZEN AND HE CAME TO ISRAEL, WHEN HE CAME A FEW TIMES, ON HIS AMERICAN PASSPORT AND NOT ON AN ISRAELI PASSPORT. THAT'S WHY THE JUDGE DECIDED THAT WITHOUT A STRONG CONNECTION TO THIS DECISION, HE HAD TO EXTRADITE HIM." (ENGLISH)/CU CAMERA OPERATOR (3 SHOTS) 2.39 12. CU SHEINBEIN MOTHER TALKING TO MEDIA SHAKING HER HEAD 2.44 13. SV DEFENCE AND PROSECUTION SHAKE HANDS, SAYING: "MEET YOU IN THE SUPREME COURT" (HEBREW) 2.54 14. TRACK DEFENCE LAWYERS LEAVE COURT 3.07 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 21st September 1998 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: JERUSALEM
  • City:
  • Country: Israel
  • Reuters ID: LVABH42RWIEI7U6S0S366ZHH9Q2G
  • Story Text: An Israeli court has ruled that an American teenager wanted for murder in the United States can be extradited despite his claim to Israeli citizenship..

    Eighteen- year-old Samuel Sheinbein is accused of killing and dismembering a 19-year-old man in 1997.

    Sheinbein fled the United States last September to try and avoid trial there.

    The victim, Alfred Tello, had been allegedly hacked to death by Sheinbein in what seemed to be a drug-related crime.

    Sheinbein claimed Israeli citizenship through his father, who was born in Israel but settled in the United States in 1950.

    Israeli law stipulates that citizens of Israel cannot be extradited.

    But U.S.Secretary of State Madeleine Albright had personally urged Israeli authorities to hand over Sheinbein.

    The U.S.Congress had threatened to hold up aid to Israel over the case.

    The Jerusalem District Court on Sunday (September 6) found that while Sheinbein was a citizen, he had never lived in Israel and had therefore no real connection to the Jewish state - a ruling that means that Sheinbein can be extradited.

    A U.S.embassy official said Washington welcomed the decision.

    "Israeli authorities have cooperated fully with U.S.law enforcement officials and the Israeli state attorney argued in court that Sheinbein is extraditable.We anticipate continued cooperation on the part of the Israeli government in the event of an appeal," the official said.

    But, the teenager's lawyer told reporters he would appeal against the decision to Israel's Supreme Court.Sheinbein was expected to remain in Israeli custody pending the higher court's ruling.
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