Federal Appeals Court Overturns Pedro Hernandez's Conviction in Etan Patz Murder Case
A federal appeals court overturned Pedro Hernandez's 2017 conviction for the 1979 murder of Etan Patz, citing improper jury instructions on his confession, ordering a new trial.
Conviction of Etan Patz killer Pedro Hernandez overturned, new trial ordered
New York Daily News
Overview
- A federal appeals court overturned Pedro Hernandez's 2017 conviction for the 1979 murder of Etan Patz, ordering a new trial due to improper jury instructions regarding his confession.
- The ruling cited the state trial court's flawed instructions on evaluating Hernandez's confession, which his lawyers argued was false and influenced by his mental illness.
- Hernandez confessed in 2012 to choking Etan Patz in a store's basement, a confession central to his conviction after a prior hung jury in the high-profile case.
- Etan Patz, one of the first missing children featured on milk cartons, disappeared in 1979 and was declared dead in 2001, marking a landmark missing persons investigation.
- The court ordered Hernandez's release unless a new trial begins soon, with the Manhattan district attorney's office currently reviewing the significant appeals court decision.
Report issue
Read both sides in 5 minutes each day
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story by selectively emphasizing details from the appeals court ruling that cast doubt on the reliability of Pedro Hernandez's confession and subsequent conviction. They highlight his mental health history and the circumstances of his initial interrogation, alongside the defense attorney's strong statement, subtly questioning the verdict's validity.
"The appeals court ruled that the jury should have gotten a more thorough explanation of its options, which could have included disregarding all of the confessions."
Associated Press"A federal appeals court determined the man convicted in the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz should get a new trial or be released from custody in the interim."
USA TODAY"The appeals court's decision to order a new trial hinges on instructions that the 2017 jury received about those confessions as they deliberated Hernandez's fate."
BBC News"The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the conviction, ordering that Hernandez should be retried or released because of a flawed instruction by the New York state judge presiding over his case."
NBC News"The appeals court said the trial judge gave a “clearly wrong” and “manifestly prejudicial” response to a jury note during Hernandez’s 2017 trial — his second."
Associated PressArticles (8)
Center (5)
FAQ
The conviction was overturned because the federal appeals court found that the state trial court provided improper jury instructions on how to evaluate Hernandez's confession, which was central to the trial and disputed due to his mental illness.
The prosecution relied almost entirely on Hernandez's confession to the crime, as there was no physical evidence or contemporaneous witnesses linking him to Etan Patz's disappearance and murder.
Hernandez has a documented history of mental illness and a low IQ. He initially confessed after seven hours of unwarned police questioning, before being read his Miranda rights and videotaped confessing again.
Etan Patz was one of the first missing children featured on milk cartons, marking a landmark missing persons investigation that raised public awareness and helped initiate new protocols around missing children cases.
The court ordered that Hernandez be released unless a new trial is initiated promptly. The Manhattan district attorney's office is currently reviewing the appeals court's significant decision.
History
- 1M5 articles