US court orders new trial for man convicted of killing Etan Patz

A federal appeals court has ordered a new trial for Pedro Hernandez, who was convicted in 2017 of the 1979 murder of Etan Patz, a six-year-old boy whose disappearance shook New York City and the nation. The court found that the trial judge made a mistake in instructing the jury, which could have influenced their decision to convict Hernandez. The case has been a long-standing and complex one, with Hernandez confessing to the crime in 2012 but later recanting his statement. The original case against Hernandez was circumstantial, and the court's decision to grant a new trial suggests that the evidence may not have been strong enough to secure a conviction. The ruling is a significant development in a case that has been open for over four decades, and it will likely lead to a renewed investigation and legal proceedings as the judicial system seeks to determine the truth behind Etan Patz's tragic disappearance.