Summary
A U.S. appeals court has decided that Pedro Hernandez, who was convicted in 2017 for the murder of six-year-old Etan Patz in 1979, should either get a new trial or be released. The decision is based on claims that the jury received incorrect instructions that might have affected the verdict.
Key Facts
- Etan Patz disappeared in 1979 in New York City while going to his school bus stop.
- Pedro Hernandez was convicted of the crime in 2017 after a previous trial in 2015 ended without a verdict (hung jury).
- Hernandez confessed after long questioning and later on video, which played a major role in his conviction.
- The appeals court found that the jury may have received instructions that went against federal law, possibly affecting their decision.
- The Manhattan District Attorney’s office is reviewing the appeals court's decision.
- Hernandez has a history of mental illness and low IQ, which was noted in the appeals court's decision.
- The case of Etan Patz was one of the first to raise national awareness about missing children in the U.S.
- The jurors had asked for guidance on how to consider Hernandez's confession if they thought it was not given voluntarily.
