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A Contested Conviction
Hernandez, a former store clerk, was convicted in 2017 after confessing on video that he lured Etan into a basement with a soft drink and strangled him.
He claimed to have disposed of the body in a bag and box, though he later couldn’t locate the container.
However, Hernandez’s attorneys have long argued that their client suffers from significant mental illness and had difficulty distinguishing reality from delusion.
They claimed his confession was unreliable, born from psychological instability rather than guilt.
On Monday, a federal appeals court agreed that Hernandez’s conviction may have been legally flawed, requiring either a retrial or release.
Trump Litigation Escalates: $20 Billion Libel Lawsuit Against Wall Street Journal, Murdoch
Reactions and Legacy
Etan’s father, Stanley Patz, responded to the 2017 conviction with cautious relief: “The Patz family has waited a long time, but we’ve finally found some measure of justice for our wonderful little boy, Etan.” He added, “It’s about time.”
