American teen’s lawyers drop bid for his release in Italy

ROME – The lawyers of one of two American teenagers being held in the slaying of an Italian police officer have dropped a request for their client to be released.

Lawyers for Gabriel Natale-Hjorth, who’s in custody for his alleged role in the fatal stabbing of Italian police officer Mario Cerciello Rega, said Monday they need time to study new evidence that emerged recently.

Lawyer Francesco Petrelli says “it was the only possible decision, as prosecutors told us there are new investigative activities ongoing.”

Natale-Hjorth and his friend, Finnegan Lee Elder, were jailed in Rome in July as investigators probe their alleged roles in Cerciello Rega’s death.

Prosecutors say Elder stabbed Cerciello Rega while Natale-Hjorth scuffled with the officer’s partner during a meeting organized by the teens to get money and cocaine in exchange for a backpack they had snatched.