Having pleaded guilty to the July 26 slaying, Elijah Hall, 17, had been slated to be sentenced Friday morning. Instead, the teen dismissed his attorney in an effort to withdraw his Nov. 13 guilty plea to first-degree murder.

The move drew outrage from Melwani's sister, Pooja Herkishnani, who said the action was an affront to her deceased brother and his entire family.

"I don't know why he is doing this," Herkishnani said. On seeing Hall in court, she added, "I saw my brother like he is saying to me, 'Save me from this guy.'"

Whether Hall will be able to withdraw the plea remains an open question, as King County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Cheryl Snow noted that the state intends to object to such a move.