Teen indicted for killing pizza worker admits to stabbing for first time
But suspect denies he was aware his actions could result in death of Yemanu Zelka, asks that negligent homicide charge be changed to negligent manslaughter
A teenager charged with murdering a pizza store worker earlier this year admitted Sunday, for the first time, that he dealt the fatal stab wound, but insists that he did not intend to kill the victim, 21-year-old Yemanu Zelka.
The development came as the defendant’s lawyer submitted documents to the Lod District Court during a hearing in the case.
The defendant, who is 15, cannot be named in the media. He was charged in May with negligent homicide. Fifteen other defendants have been charged with causing serious bodily harm with intent in the case.
In a response to the court, the defendant admitted that he was carrying a knife at the time of the incident and that he stabbed Zelka in the leg outside the Pizza Hut where Zelka worked in Petah Tikva. He claimed it was “the mistake of my life” and that he was only coming to the assistance of others involved in the brawl. He said that he stabbed Zelka once, but didn’t intend to cause him a fatal injury.
The defendant asked that the charges against him be changed to negligent manslaughter.
Negligent homicide offenses — meaning the defendant was aware of the potentially lethal outcome of their actions, but acted nonetheless — and causing serious bodily harm have a maximum sentence of up to 20 years.
Zelka was stabbed to death on the eve of Israel’s Independence Day after he had asked the teens not to use party spray in the pizzeria.
After waiting outside for Zelka to finish his shift, the youths ambushed and beat him, with one assailant taking out a knife and stabbing him. In a brutal assault that was caught on video, the gang surrounded and beat him, continuing the attack even after he had been stabbed and fallen to the ground.
He was left to bleed out on the ground and died of his wounds in the hospital a day later.
According to the indictment, the main suspect hit a critical vein when stabbing the young man, causing significant blood loss and ultimately his death.
Police arrested a total of 19 people in connection with Zelka’s killing. Three were not indicted.
Some of the teens were charged with additional offenses of making threats, obstruction of justice, destroying evidence and conspiracy to assault.
Zelka’s family has denounced what they said were too-light charges against the defendants, accusing the prosecution of “siding with the offenders.” The family had demanded that murder charges be leveled against every suspect involved.