Samuel Sheinbein
Encyclopedia
Samuel Sheinbein, born in 1980, is an American
convicted murderer. In September 1997, Sheinbein and a former classmate at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
, Aaron Benjamin Needle, killed Alfredo Enrique Tello, Jr. then dismembered and burned his body in Aspen Hill
, Maryland
. Needle later hanged himself in his jail cell.
Sheinbein fled to Israel
with the help of his father, Sol Sheinbein, an attorney who held dual citizenship in the United States
and Israel. Sol Sheinbein was later charged with obstruction of justice
. Once in Israel, Sheinbein applied for and received Israeli citizenship (As a Jew
and as the son of an Israeli national, Sheinbein was eligible for automatic Israeli citizenship). Sheinbein then rented a hotel room, where he abused drugs, drank, and hired a prostitute. After being hospitalized for a drug overdose, Sheinbein was arrested.
After being notified of Sheinbein's presence in Israel, the U.S. government requested that he be extradited, and Congress
threatened to withold aid to Israel. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
said that she expected "maximum cooperation" from Israel. The Jerusalem District Court ruled that Sheinbein should be extradited, ruling that since he had no meaningful connections to the State of Israel, used a U.S. passport, and had never lived in Israel, he was not enough of a citizen to deserve protection under Israeli law. Following an appeal, the Israeli Supreme Court
blocked his extradition, citing a 1978 law banning the extradition of Israeli citizens. This resulted in a severe strain in U.S.-Israeli relations and outrage from the Latino-American community. There was also concern in Israel over the ruling, including the fear that the country might become a haven for Jewish criminals. Sheinbein was then indicted in Israel. He was charged for murder with intent to kill: the equivalent of first-degree murder in the United States. Sheinbein's trial took place in the Tel Aviv
District Court.
After Sheinbein accepted a plea bargain
with prosecutors, the three-judge panel sentenced him to 24 years in prison, with eligibility for parole after 16 years. Court President Uri Goren read the verdict, stating that "the actual murder, together with the monstrous acts that were committed to the body, show that sanctity of life and a person's dignity both in life and death are values to which the defendant attatches no significance. In light of his age, and in light of the severity of his actions, the defendant therefore deserves a severe and deterring punishment". The sentence, lenient by U.S. standards, combined with the refusal to extradite him, strained American-Israeli relations. Outrage was expressed in both countries, with many editorials in Israel criticizing Sheinbein's manipulation of Israeli law.
Even after his release, Sheinbein will still face prosecution if he ever returns to the United States.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
convicted murderer. In September 1997, Sheinbein and a former classmate at the Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School
The Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School, often referred to as CESJDS or JDS, is a private, pluralistic Jewish K-12 school in Rockville, Maryland....
, Aaron Benjamin Needle, killed Alfredo Enrique Tello, Jr. then dismembered and burned his body in Aspen Hill
Aspen Hill, Maryland
Aspen Hill is a census-designated place and an unincorporated area in Montgomery County, Maryland. It got its name from aspen trees that once were found near the first post office in the area...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Needle later hanged himself in his jail cell.
Sheinbein fled to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
with the help of his father, Sol Sheinbein, an attorney who held dual citizenship in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Israel. Sol Sheinbein was later charged with obstruction of justice
Obstruction of justice
The crime of obstruction of justice, in United States jurisdictions, refers to the crime of interfering with the work of police, investigators, regulatory agencies, prosecutors, or other officials...
. Once in Israel, Sheinbein applied for and received Israeli citizenship (As a Jew
Jews
The Jews , also known as the Jewish people, are a nation and ethnoreligious group originating in the Israelites or Hebrews of the Ancient Near East. The Jewish ethnicity, nationality, and religion are strongly interrelated, as Judaism is the traditional faith of the Jewish nation...
and as the son of an Israeli national, Sheinbein was eligible for automatic Israeli citizenship). Sheinbein then rented a hotel room, where he abused drugs, drank, and hired a prostitute. After being hospitalized for a drug overdose, Sheinbein was arrested.
After being notified of Sheinbein's presence in Israel, the U.S. government requested that he be extradited, and Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
threatened to withold aid to Israel. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Albright
Madeleine Korbelová Albright is the first woman to become a United States Secretary of State. She was appointed by U.S. President Bill Clinton on December 5, 1996, and was unanimously confirmed by a U.S. Senate vote of 99–0...
said that she expected "maximum cooperation" from Israel. The Jerusalem District Court ruled that Sheinbein should be extradited, ruling that since he had no meaningful connections to the State of Israel, used a U.S. passport, and had never lived in Israel, he was not enough of a citizen to deserve protection under Israeli law. Following an appeal, the Israeli Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
blocked his extradition, citing a 1978 law banning the extradition of Israeli citizens. This resulted in a severe strain in U.S.-Israeli relations and outrage from the Latino-American community. There was also concern in Israel over the ruling, including the fear that the country might become a haven for Jewish criminals. Sheinbein was then indicted in Israel. He was charged for murder with intent to kill: the equivalent of first-degree murder in the United States. Sheinbein's trial took place in the Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
District Court.
After Sheinbein accepted a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
with prosecutors, the three-judge panel sentenced him to 24 years in prison, with eligibility for parole after 16 years. Court President Uri Goren read the verdict, stating that "the actual murder, together with the monstrous acts that were committed to the body, show that sanctity of life and a person's dignity both in life and death are values to which the defendant attatches no significance. In light of his age, and in light of the severity of his actions, the defendant therefore deserves a severe and deterring punishment". The sentence, lenient by U.S. standards, combined with the refusal to extradite him, strained American-Israeli relations. Outrage was expressed in both countries, with many editorials in Israel criticizing Sheinbein's manipulation of Israeli law.
Even after his release, Sheinbein will still face prosecution if he ever returns to the United States.