Judge Declines to Dismiss Case in 1979 Disappearance of Etan Patz, Setting Up Third Trial
A New York judge has decided not to dismiss charges against Pedro Hernandez, who is accused of abducting and killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979. This decision paves the way for a third trial. Hernandez, a former shop clerk, has been in custody since his arrest in 2012. The case gained national attention as Etan was one of the first missing children to be featured on milk cartons. The judge rejected arguments from Hernandez's lawyers that the delay in charging him and extensive media coverage would prevent a fair trial. Hernandez's previous trials ended in a deadlock and a conviction that was later overturned by a federal appeals court. 
