The federal appeals court has overturned the guilty verdict of Pedro Hernandez for the 1979 murder of Etan Patz, granting him a new trial. Hernandez has been imprisoned for 25 years to life since his 2017 conviction. His first trial resulted in a deadlock in 2015. The appellate decision cited errors in how jury communications were processed during the trial. Hernandez, who confessed to the crime, has a low IQ and struggles with mental illness, which his defense argues influences his confessions. The case symbolized the missing children's crisis in America and led to the establishment of important protective measures for children.
Pedro Hernandez was convicted in the 1979 killing of Etan Patz and awarded a new trial after a federal appeals court overturned the guilty verdict due to jury handling issues.
The appeals court determined an error by the trial judge regarding a jury note warranted overturning the conviction, affecting Hernandez's future regarding imprisonment.
Hernandez was arrested in 2012, revealing inconsistencies in his confession that were attributed to mental illness and his low IQ, which complicated the case.
Etan’s disappearance significantly impacted American society, leading to increased parental vigilance and the establishment of a national missing children's hotline, alongside the observance of National Missing Children's Day.
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