Pedro Hernandez is arraigned in Manhattan Criminal Court via video link seen here in this courtroom sketch in New York Friday. Hernandez has confessed to killing Etan Patz. (Shirley Shepherd/Reuters)
10:24 am ET -Killing Etan Patz in 1979 may have been the only time alleged killer Pedro Hernandez hurt someone. While he avoided detection for 33 years, the secret took enough of a toll that Hernandez broke down in tears as he confessed, appearing remorseful and ‘relieved.’
Top Justice (View all)
- Gay marriage: Judge overturns DOMA, stepping up pressure on Supreme Court
- Etan Patz case: Despite confession, a trial would be tricky (+video)
- Etan Patz killing: Motive is a puzzle for police, and potentially, a jury
- Major gay marriage cases in federal court and where they stand
- Patrick Fitzgerald, nemesis of Rod Blagojevich, steps down
- John Edwards verdict could become part of Citizens United backlash
- Why Dharun Ravi got 30 days in jail in Rutgers webcam spying case (+video)
- Can US group challenge overseas surveillance act? Supreme Court to decide.
- What causes wrongful convictions? Lies, mistaken eyewitnesses top the list.
- Cover Story: US prison inmates returning to society: How will they be received?
More Justice
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Geraldo Rivera (again) says Trayvon Martin's 'thug wear' got him profiled
Geraldo Rivera insisted again Friday that Trayvon Martin’s hoodie represented a kind of ‘thug wear’ that could have alarmed George Zimmerman, who shot Martin to death. The hoodie debate is not over.
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Appeals court upholds key provision of Voting Rights Act. Supreme Court could loom
A federal court on Friday rejected an Alabama county's argument that a key part of the 1965 Voting Rights act is outdated. That could set the stage for a Supreme Court hearing.
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Latest evidence in Trayvon Martin case: Does it help George Zimmerman? (+video)
A trove of evidence from the Trayvon Martin shooting released Thursday may buttress George Zimmerman's claims of self-defense, some analysts say. But one finding undergirds the prosecution: The shooter could have avoided the situation.
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Upset patient charged with using mercury as chemical weapon against hospital
Martin Kimber apparently had a billing dispute after receiving treatment at Albany Medical Center. According to court documents, he spread liquid mercury at the hospital on four occasions.
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John Edwards trial: What will verdict mean for campaign finance? (+video)
Closing arguments in the John Edwards trial are set to begin Thursday. But the political significance of the trial in defining the limits of campaign finance has been greatly dampened.
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Florida teacher, fired for premarital sex, has right to a trial, court rules
A teacher at a Christian school, fired in 2009 ostensibly for engaging in premarital sex, can proceed with her lawsuit against the school, a US appeals court ruled Wednesday. She says the real reason she lost her job was pregnancy.
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Report: Trayvon Martin beat, bloodied George Zimmerman. Game-changer?
A medical report showing that Trayvon Martin hit George Zimmerman hard enough to draw blood on his face and head has made a second-degree murder conviction a long shot, say experts.
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Should the police file on the man who killed Trayvon Martin stay secret?
Prosecutors in the Trayvon Martin case have presented their case against George Zimmerman's to the defense, increasing pressure on the judge to rule on their request to keep the evidence secret.
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Who gets to keep shipwreck treasure? Supreme Court declines Spain case.
Lower courts ruled that $500 million in coins that US treasure hunters had recovered belongs to Spain. The Supreme Court turned away the salvagers’ appeal Monday.
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Will Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio's popularity continue amid lawsuit?
Despite a mountain of legal troubles, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio remains popular with voters and has more than $3.4 million in the bank for his November re-election campaign.







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