Latest news with #criminaltrial
The Independent
a day ago
- The Independent
Appeals court orders new trial for man convicted in 1979 Etan Patz case
The man convicted of killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979 was awarded a new trial Monday as a federal appeals court overturned the guilty verdict in one of the nation's most notorious missing child cases. Pedro Hernandez has been serving 25 years to life in prison since his 2017 conviction. He had been arrested in 2012 after a decadeslong, haunting search for answers in Etan's disappearance on the first day he was allowed to walk alone to his school bus stop. The appeals court overturned the conviction because of an issue involving how the trial judge handled a jury note during Hernandez 2017 trial — his second. His first trial ended in a jury deadlock in 2015. The ruling says that the judges concluded that the state trial court's instruction was not only 'clearly wrong' but 'manifestly prejudicial' The court ordered his release unless the state gives him a new trial within a reasonable period to be set by the lower court judge. Emily Tuttle, a spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney, said 'We are reviewing the decision.' Harvey Fishbein, an attorney for Hernandez, declined to comment when reached Monday by phone. Hernandez was a teenager working at a convenience shop in Etan's Manhattan neighborhood when the boy vanished. Hernandez, who's from Maple Shade, New Jersey, later confessed to choking Etan. But his lawyers said he was mentally ill and his confession was false. Etan was among the first missing children pictured on milk cartons. His case contributed to an era of fear among American families, making anxious parents more protective of kids who many once allowed to roam and play unsupervised in their neighborhoods. 'Through this painful and utterly horrific real-life story, we came to realize how easily our children could disappear,' said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., a Democrat who made a 2009 campaign promise to revisit the case if elected. The Patzes' advocacy helped to establish a national missing-children hotline and to make it easier for law enforcement agencies to share information about such cases. The May 25 anniversary of Etan's disappearance became National Missing Children's Day.
CNN
a day ago
- CNN
Appeals court orders new trial for man convicted in 1979 Etan Patz case
The man convicted of killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979 was awarded a new trial Monday as a federal appeals court overturned the guilty verdict in one of the nation's most notorious missing child cases. Pedro Hernandez has been serving 25 years to life in prison since his 2017 conviction. He had been arrested in 2012 after a decadeslong, haunting search for answers in Etan's disappearance on the first day he was allowed to walk alone to his school bus stop. The appeals court overturned the conviction because of an issue involving how the trial judge handled a jury note during Hernandez 2017 trial — his second. His first trial ended in a jury deadlock in 2015. The ruling says that the judges concluded that the state trial court's instruction was not only 'clearly wrong' but 'manifestly prejudicial' The court ordered his release unless the state gives him a new trial within a reasonable period to be set by the lower court judge. Emily Tuttle, a spokesperson for the Manhattan district attorney, said 'We are reviewing the decision.' Harvey Fishbein, an attorney for Hernandez, declined to comment when reached Monday by phone. Hernandez was a teenager working at a convenience shop in Etan's Manhattan neighborhood when the boy vanished. Hernandez, who's from Maple Shade, New Jersey, later confessed to choking Etan. But his lawyers said he was mentally ill and his confession was false. Etan was among the first missing children pictured on milk cartons. His case contributed to an era of fear among American families, making anxious parents more protective of kids who many once allowed to roam and play unsupervised in their neighborhoods. 'Through this painful and utterly horrific real-life story, we came to realize how easily our children could disappear,' said Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr., a Democrat who made a 2009 campaign promise to revisit the case if elected. The Patzes' advocacy helped to establish a national missing-children hotline and to make it easier for law enforcement agencies to share information about such cases. The May 25 anniversary of Etan's disappearance became National Missing Children's Day. This is a developing story and will be updated.
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Kiama MP Gareth Ward's criminal trial told of ‘unreliability' in closing address
A jury who have sat through the lengthy criminal trial of Kiama MP Gareth Ward have been told a man who alleges the MP sexually abused him has a 'certain unreliability'. Mr Ward, a NSW independent MP, was charged in March 2022 with three counts of assault with act of indecency, an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old man at Meroo Meadow in 2013, and intercourse without consent against a 24-year-old man in Potts Point in 2015. Since his arrest three years ago, the 43-year-old has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all counts. In the Darlinghurst District Court on Monday, defence barrister David Campbell SC continued his closing address, telling the court that the first complainant, a parliamentary staffer who was 24 at the time of the alleged incident, has a 'certain unreliability' when it comes to his memory. In evidence, the man was earlier asked about which particular event he was attending at Parliament House on the night in question, to which he said he couldn't recall 'exactly' but gave details as to which event he believed it was. 'I believed it was that event,' the man said. 'Do you think it, do you believe it or do you know it … what's the position?' Mr Campbell replied, to which the man stated he 'believes it'. Mr Campbell told the jury that what the man couldn't do was say he 'knows it'. 'He (the complainant) said that sometimes memories can meld together, particularly given the amount of time that has passed,' he said. 'Due to that corrosive effect on the memory, there must be a certain unreliability of what (name redacted) is now suggesting to you the jury.' Mr Campbell went on to thank the jury for their patience over the past eight weeks. 'This is the last chance we have to say anything to you on behalf of Mr Ward … and there may well be bits we haven't covered,' he said. 'Our submission to you is clearly this: The Crown has simply not discharged the burden it has in either of those two complainants' cases.' The barrister urged the jury to find the MP not guilty on all counts. Mr Ward is alleged to have assaulted a man, who had just turned 18 at the time, at the MP's South Coast home in February 2013. It's also alleged Mr Ward sexually assaulted another man – who was 24 years old at the time – at his Potts Point apartment in September 2015. Beginning his political career in 2011, Mr Ward was a councillor on the Shoalhaven Council before becoming the Liberal member for Kiama in 2011, a seat he has held since.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
Men scared to accuse ‘powerful' MP Gareth Ward of sexual assault: court
A jury who have sat through the lengthy criminal trial of Kiama MP Gareth Ward have been invited to convict the 'powerful' politician on allegations he sexually abused two young men. Mr Ward, a NSW independent MP, was charged in March 2022 with three counts of assault with act of indecency, an alternative charge of common assault against an 18-year-old man at Meroo Meadow in 2013, and intercourse without consent against a 24-year-old man in Potts Point in 2015. Since his arrest three years ago, the 43-year-old has denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to all counts. In Darlinghurst District Court on Friday, Crown prosecutor Monika Knowles continued her closing submissions and told the jury the two men had explained 'a number of reasons' as to why they did not complain about the allegations straight away. Both men gave evidence that the accused was a 'powerful' person and they were scared about what would happen if they came forward. The first complainant, a man who was 24 at the time of the alleged assault, said he took some time to come forward with the allegations as he was 'scared for his job', Ms Knowles reminded the jury. He did, however, allegedly mention to another parliamentary staffer words to the effect that then premier Gladys Berejiklian had selected a 'rapist', Mr Ward, as the minister for children in her cabinet in 2019. Meanwhile, the second complainant, a man who had just turned 18 at the time of the alleged assault, 'wrestled with going to police' because Mr Ward was 'a well-connected person', Ms Knowles told the court. 'There was an apprehension about going to police or media and it was because the accused was a powerful person … the accused was in a powerful role locally,' Ms Knowles said. Ms Knowles told the jury that either the second complainant was assaulted at Mr Ward's Potts Point apartment or he is 'the best guesser of all time'. She said if the alleged assault didn't happen, then the man had 'randomly but correctly guessed' details about Mr Ward's Potts Point apartment, including the building number, the view from the balcony and the specific bedroom he slept in. 'The Crown says he didn't guess any of these things, he knew them because they happened,' she said. 'After taking everything into account you would be satisfied of the charges beyond reasonable doubt. 'It's by no sheer chance or coincidence … I invite you to convict.' Mr Ward allegedly assaulted the man who had just turned 18 at his South Coast home in February 2013. It is also alleged the MP sexually assaulted the man who was 24 years old at the time at Mr Ward's Potts Point apartment in September 2015. Beginning his political career in 2011, Mr Ward was a councillor on the Shoalhaven Council before becoming the Liberal member for Kiama in 2011, a seat he has held since. The trial before a 13-person jury continues.
Washington Post
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Inside ex-Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro's fight to stay out of prison
Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil, in his office at the Liberal Party headquarters in Brasilia in April. (Dan Agostini/The Washington Post) Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is in a moment of reckoning. In January 2023, after his election loss, thousands of his supporters attacked the presidential palace, the Supreme Court and the Congress as they protested an electoral defeat that Bolsonaro had baselessly attributed to electoral fraud. Now Bolsonaro is awaiting a criminal trial before the country's Supreme Court for allegedly plotting to kill his rivals and stay in power. Bolsonaro is barred from running for office until 2030, and he could very well go to prison for decades. Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on Bolsonaro's situation. He called the trial a 'WITCH HUNT' on social media and in a letter to Brazilian leaders when announcing a 50 percent tariff on Brazilian goods. Reporters Terrence McCoy and Marina Dias, who are based in Brazil, got a rare window into Bolsonaro's thinking and his desire for a Trump intervention during a visit to his office this past spring. Today on the podcast, host Elahe Izadi sits down with McCoy and Dias, to learn what their visit revealed about Bolsonaro, about Latin America's largest democracy and about the United States. Today's episode was produced by Elana Gordon with help from Sabby Robinson. It was edited by Peter Bresnan and Reena Flores. It was mixed by Sean Carter. Thanks to Jesse Mesner-Hage.
