DarkMatterDuck
Well-known member
Federal Judge Sets June 1 Deadline for Pedro Hernandez's Retrial in Etan Patz Case
Pedro Hernandez, the man convicted of abducting and murdering six-year-old Etan Patz in New York City back in the 1970s, will have to face a retrial by June 1, 2026. If jury selection commences by then, Hernandez will remain behind bars; otherwise, he'll be set free.
The decision comes after the prosecution's lawyers informed the court that they're ready for a third trial in this highly publicized case. The Manhattan district attorney has declined to comment on this development at present.
To recap, Etan Patz vanished while walking to his school bus stop in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood back in 1979. Despite an extensive investigation and numerous arrests over the years, Etan's body was never found. Hernandez's confession, which he made after being arrested in 2012, claimed that he lured Etan into the basement of the bodega where he worked at the time, leading to the six-year-old's tragic death.
However, Hernandez's lawyers have maintained that their client struggled with mental illness and made a false confession. The case against Hernandez has been marked by two previous trials, both of which ended in hung juries.
Hernandez was ultimately convicted after nine days of jury deliberation and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on charges of second-degree murder and kidnapping. His lawyers have appealed the verdict, arguing that the jury received incorrect instructions regarding his confession. In a recent federal appeals court ruling, Hernandez's attorneys won the right for an appeal, citing that the state trial court had incorrectly applied federal law.
With this latest development, it remains to be seen whether prosecutors will proceed with a retrial, or if Hernandez will finally have his day in court and prove his innocence once and for all.
Pedro Hernandez, the man convicted of abducting and murdering six-year-old Etan Patz in New York City back in the 1970s, will have to face a retrial by June 1, 2026. If jury selection commences by then, Hernandez will remain behind bars; otherwise, he'll be set free.
The decision comes after the prosecution's lawyers informed the court that they're ready for a third trial in this highly publicized case. The Manhattan district attorney has declined to comment on this development at present.
To recap, Etan Patz vanished while walking to his school bus stop in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood back in 1979. Despite an extensive investigation and numerous arrests over the years, Etan's body was never found. Hernandez's confession, which he made after being arrested in 2012, claimed that he lured Etan into the basement of the bodega where he worked at the time, leading to the six-year-old's tragic death.
However, Hernandez's lawyers have maintained that their client struggled with mental illness and made a false confession. The case against Hernandez has been marked by two previous trials, both of which ended in hung juries.
Hernandez was ultimately convicted after nine days of jury deliberation and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on charges of second-degree murder and kidnapping. His lawyers have appealed the verdict, arguing that the jury received incorrect instructions regarding his confession. In a recent federal appeals court ruling, Hernandez's attorneys won the right for an appeal, citing that the state trial court had incorrectly applied federal law.
With this latest development, it remains to be seen whether prosecutors will proceed with a retrial, or if Hernandez will finally have his day in court and prove his innocence once and for all.
... like what even happened to him? And now Pedro Hernandez is gonna get another chance to say sorry? I mean idk, I've been following this case since it was all over the news back in 2014 and it's just been so weird. First he confesses, then he says sorry, but was it really his fault or did he just get scared? 
It's like, what if he didn't do it? What if he's innocent? The thought of him languishing in prison for 10+ years is so unfair 
I hope the new trial actually gets to the truth of what happened. Fingers crossed 
Pedro Hernandez is going to get another chance to clear his name after all these years 
25 years to life is way too much time to spend behind bars even if he did do it 
the prosecution's lawyers must be freaking out right now 
What if he actually did it though? Like what if his confession was legit? 
and now it's like... is it really over? or will there be another trial?!?! my heart can't take it 
anyway, i'm all about justice & fairness so if pedro's lawyers are saying his confession was false that's got to count for something 
what do u guys think?!?!
. So many twists and turns... like, what's the point of a retrial at this stage? Will it really make a difference? And what about Pedro's mental health struggles? Shouldn't we be focusing on getting him the help he needs instead of trying to pin blame on someone who's already been convicted and serving life in prison 
.
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he's been locked up almost longer than etan was gone... hoping they'll finally get it right next time 
It's all a bit confusing, isn't it? I just hope they get to the bottom of this case once and for all... justice should be served! 
The fact that Hernandez has been through two previous trials with hung juries makes me wonder if he actually did do it or not 
.
. And honestly, I'm still curious about what really went down that day in SoHo 
. Was he truly guilty? Or was there something more at play?
. One thing for sure: the public wants answers, and justice needs to be served 
. Can't help but feel a sense of unease about the whole situation... like there's still more to uncover 
.
and intrigued 
at the thought of Pedro's next chapter 
. A retrial by June 1? That's like, super short 
! If he gets out, will we finally know what really happened to Etan 
? The case has been going on for decades 
. Can't wait to follow the next moves in this highly publicized trial 
. Will justice be served?