A McDermott Will & Emery team led by Global White Collar & Government Investigations Practice Co-Head Ted Diskant secured a decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit overturning the conviction of Pedro Hernandez and granting his petition for a writ of habeas corpus. Pedro had previously been convicted of murder and kidnapping in connection with the 1979 disappearance of six-year-old Etan Patz in New York state court.

“For more than 13 years, Pedro Hernandez has been in prison for a crime he did not commit and based on a conviction that the Second Circuit has now made clear was obtained in clear violation of law,” said Ted of the opinion.

“We are grateful the Court has now given Pedro a chance to get his life back, and I call upon the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office to drop these misguided charges and focus their efforts where they belong: on finding those actually responsible for disappearance of Etan Patz.”

In addition to Ted, the McDermott trial team included associates Cindy Ham, Chelsea Cosillos, Jennifer Levengood, and Jacqueline Winters.

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