Judge declares mistrial in Etan Patz murder case

One of New York City's biggest missing child cases has resulted in a mistrial.

A 12-person jury was deadlocked in their decision about whether to convict Pedro Hernandez, 54, after three weeks of deliberation. Hernandez confessed to kidnapping and murdering Patz, who was six years old, 33 years after the crime. Patz disappeared on his way to school on May 25, 1979. Police never recovered his body.

Prosecutors argued that the confession showed Hernandez was guilty, while Hernandez' lawyer said his statements were "the rantings of a mentally ill man with a low IQ," since there was no physical evidence to tie him to the crime. Hernandez told the police that he choked Patz in a bodega basement.

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Justice Maxwell Wiley declared a mistrial on Friday, and a new date for the trial has been set for June 10.—Meghan DeMaria

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