STORY: "Defense makes shocking decision to rest in Etan Patz murder retrial," by reporter Shayna Jacobs, published by The New York Daily News on January 6, 2016.
PHOTO CAPTION: " The defense made a surprise move to rest in the Etan Patz murder retrial involving convicted child molester Jose Antonio Ramos and Pedro Hernandez.
GIST: "The defense rested earlier than anticipated in the Etan Patz murder retrial Friday — a surprise strategic move that put prosecutors on edge. Lawyers for 55-year-old Pedro Hernandez chose not to call three witnesses used at his first trial last year to support their theory that convicted child molester Jose Ramos actually abducted and murdered the 6-year-old in 1979. Two jail informants — who were housed with Ramos and allegedly got incriminating admissions from him — will not be called and neither will former federal prosecutor Stuart Grabois, who doggedly pursued a case against Ramos during his career. The last witness the jury heard on the matter was retired FBI agent Mary Galligan, who was the first woman in charge of New York's FBI bureau and headed the investigation into 9/11. Galligan testified that she believed Ramos is responsible for Etan's death. Ramos, a serial pedophile, had a connection to the Patz family in the form of having dated a woman who worked for them occasionally. He told Galligan that he picked up a child that day and sexually abused him in his apartment. He also said it “could have” been Etan, but denied killing the boy. Hernandez, who has been diagnosed with a psychiatric illness, confessed to the crime in 2012. His attorneys Harvey Fishbein and Alice Fontier say it was a false confession — that his illness made him prone to fantasies and delusions. Prosecutors argued they were “ambushed” by the last-minute defense decision and that they had based their examination of Galligan on the belief that more would come out about Ramos. The trial will resume Monday with arguments over the development but the jury will not return until the day after. The prosecution is expected to call rebuttal witnesses to challenge testimony about Hernandez’s mental state. A jury in the first trial was hung after 18 days of grueling deliberations and a mistrial was called in May 2015."
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/defense-shocking-choice-rest-etan-patz-murder-retrial-article-1.2938150
PUBLISHER'S NOTE: I am monitoring this case/issue. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at: http://www.thestar.com/topic/
