NEW YORK (AP) — A defense psychologist says the man who admitted killing a New York City boy who went missing in 1979 did not understand his right to silence.
Bruce Frumkin said Tuesday that Pedro Hernandez was tested for several hours and believes he wouldn’t have fully understood what he was agreeing to when he said he understood his Miranda rights.
A judge is weighing whether to allow the videotaped confession by Hernandez, who admitted choking 6-year-old Etan Patz (AY’-tahn payts) and dumping his body. The boy vanished walking to school. His body was never found. Hernandez pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors sought to show that Frumkin’s opinion was faulty. Assistant District Attorney Joan Illuzzi-Orbon read jailhouse calls where Hernandez said he couldn’t see during the psychiatric test because he didn’t have his glasses.
