• Pedro Hernandez's conviction for Etan Patz's murder has been overturned by a federal appeals court.
• The court cited flawed jury instructions during Hernandez's trial as grounds for the new trial order.
• If a new trial is not granted, Hernandez must be released from custody.
• Etan Patz disappeared in 1979, marking a significant case in the history of missing children in the U.S.
• The Manhattan District Attorney's office is reviewing the court's decision.

A federal appeals court ruled that Pedro Hernandez, who was convicted for the 1979 kidnapping and murder of 6-year-old Etan Patz, is entitled to a new trial or must be released from custody. The court concluded that improper jury instructions given during Hernandez's trial directly impacted the verdict. Specifically, the instructions failed to adequately address the jury's inquiries regarding Hernandez's confessions made both before and after being read his rights, which the court found to be "clearly wrong" and "manifestly prejudicial," according to ABC News and HuffPost.

Hernandez has been serving a 25 years to life sentence since his conviction in 2017. His first trial in 2015 ended with a hung jury, leading to a retrial that resulted in a conviction after extensive deliberation by jurors who deliberated for nine days. The district attorney's office stated they are reviewing this recent decision, and Emily Tuttle, a senior advisor to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, confirmed this ongoing review to Newsweek and HuffPost.

The 1979 case drew immense media attention and remains one of the most recognized missing children cases in America, with Etan's image appearing on milk cartons nationwide. Following his disappearance, significant legislative changes regarding child safety have been initiated, with the date of Etan's disappearance, May 25, later declared National Missing Children's Day. Hernandez confessed to luring Etan into a basement where he harmed him, but his defense claims his confession was unreliable due to his mental condition, as reported by HuffPost, ABC News, and Newsweek.