Overview
- The U.S. Supreme Court restored Pedro Hernandez’s 2017 kidnapping and murder conviction on Monday, June 22, 2026, in a 6–3 decision that leaves his 25‑to‑life sentence in place.
- The majority said the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit exceeded its authority when it ordered a retrial, citing a 1996 federal statute that narrows when federal courts can overturn state convictions.
- The appeals court had faulted the trial judge’s reply to a juror question about whether an initial confession given before Miranda warnings required discarding later taped confessions.
- Hernandez’s confessions from 2012 are central to the case but are contested by his lawyers, who say the first statement came after about seven hours of questioning and that he suffers from severe mental illness and low IQ.
- Manhattan prosecutors welcomed the ruling after preparing for a potential third trial, while Hernandez’s defense said they remain convinced he is innocent and that key factual disputes, including the absence of physical remains, remain unresolved.