US supreme court reinstates murder conviction in case of Etan Patz

The US Supreme Court has reinstated the murder conviction of Pedro Hernandez, 64, in the 1979 disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz from New York City. In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling that had overturned Hernandez's conviction. Hernandez was found guilty in 2017 of kidnapping and murdering Patz and sentenced to 25 years to life. The appeals court had previously ruled the conviction was invalid due to a flawed jury instruction regarding confessions. The Supreme Court disagreed, stating the appeals court exceeded its authority. Hernandez's lawyers expressed disappointment, maintaining his innocence, while the Manhattan district attorney praised the decision as a pursuit of justice for the Patz family.

The Supreme Court has reinstated the murder conviction of Pedro Hernandez in the 1979 disappearance of 6-year-old Etan Patz. By a 6-3 vote, the justices granted an appeal from New York prosecutors, overturning a federal appeals court decision that had reversed Hernandez's conviction. The appeals court had cited the judge's response to a jury's question about confessions as grounds for overturning the verdict. The Supreme Court stated that federal courts should not second-guess state courts under a 1996 law. Hernandez, who has been serving a sentence of 25 years to life, confessed to the crime after extensive police questioning, though his lawyers argue the confession was false due to mental illness. Etan Patz vanished on his way to school in Manhattan, and Hernandez, who worked nearby, did not become a suspect until 2012.