Trial to begin for teen charged in teacher's rape, killing

October 4, 2015 at 10:57 a.m. | Updated October 4, 2015 at 11:00 a.m.

by Associated Press

FILE - In this Tuesday, June 30, 2015 file photo, Philip Chism is handcuffed before being led out of Salem Superior Court after a hearing in Salem, Mass. Chism is charged with killing his Danvers High School math teacher in October 2013. Jury selection for his trial begins Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (Ken Yuszkus/The Eagle Tribune via AP, Pool, File)
FILE - In this Tuesday, June 30, 2015 file photo, Philip Chism is handcuffed before being led out of Salem Superior Court after a hearing in Salem, Mass. Chism is charged with killing his Danvers High School math teacher in October 2013. Jury selection for his trial begins Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (Ken Yuszkus/The Eagle Tribune via AP, Pool, File)

BOSTON (AP) - Jury selection is set to begin this week in the trial of a teenager accused of raping and killing his math teacher in 2013.

Philip Chism was 14 when he was charged in the death of 24-year-old Colleen Ritzer, a teacher at Danvers High School. He will be tried as an adult.

Ritzer's body was found in woods near the school. She had been raped and her throat had been slit with a box cutter.

A student who was in Ritzer's class with Chism said she overheard Ritzer asking Chism to stay after school after she saw him drawing instead of taking notes in class.

Chism's lawyers plan to use a mental health defense.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin Wednesday in Essex Superior Court in Salem.

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