Plinner murder suspect clashes with victim's family outside court

Court postpones reading of indictment until final psychiatric report, 3 of victim's relations allowed to attend hearing.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
anat pliner suspect ch 2 (photo credit: Channel 2)
anat pliner suspect ch 2
(photo credit: Channel 2)
The Tel Aviv District Court on Sunday postponed the reading of the indictment against the 17-year-old suspected of killing lawyer Anat Plinner until the receipt of the final psychiatric report. The court permitted three members of the Plinner family to attend the hearing, even through it was conducted behind closed doors. Donning a skullcap, the teen vented his anger at reporters outside the court prior to the hearing, swearing at them, throwing a microphone in their direction and telling them to "get out of here." The suspect then said he was "sorry," before being hushed by his lawyer. The Plinner family became enraged at the suspect's religious appearance and her mother, Thiya Aharoni, shouted "don't shame our religion," as the suspect left the court. She said the suspect's apology was meaningless. "If they don't give him a life sentence there is no justice in our country," she said. "For almost two-and-a-half years, he has been hanging around the streets and having fun with girls…there is no one who can take Anat's children to their end of school year parties." The suspect's parents broke down in tears outside the court. Plinner was stabbed to death outside her home in Ramat Hasharon in April 2006. For two years, detectives were left without a lead in the case, until they arrested a boy for stealing a moped. A DNA sample taken from the suspect matched fingerprints taken by forensic officers from the murder scene. Police launched a major undercover investigation, which resulted in the suspect's arrest. After initially denying the killing, the youth confessed, providing police with details that proved he was at the scene during the murder. He later reenacted the slaying outside of Plinner's home, wearing a hooded sweatshirt and a baseball cap. Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report