Court Says Pedro Hernandez is Guilty

法院裁定 Pedro Hernandez 有罪

Jun 22, 2026, 18:10
USSociety

Introduction

The highest court in the USA says Pedro Hernandez killed a boy named Etan Patz in 1979.

美國最高法院表示 Pedro Hernandez 在 1979 年殺害了一名名為 Etan Patz 的男孩。

Main Body

A lower court said Hernandez was free. But the Supreme Court disagreed. Six judges said the first trial was correct.

先前有下級法院裁定 Hernandez 獲釋。但最高法院並不認同。六名法官表示第一次審判是正確的。

The judges said the law protects state court decisions. They said the lower court cannot change the result of the first trial.

法官表示法律保護州法院的裁決。他們認為下級法院不能改變第一次審判的結果。

Some people are happy. The city lawyer says there is a lot of evidence. But the lawyers for Hernandez say he is sick and did not do it.

有些人感到高興。市府律師表示有大量證據。但 Hernandez 的律師則稱他患病且並非由他所為。

Conclusion

Pedro Hernandez will stay in prison. He can ask to leave in 2037.

Pedro Hernandez 將繼續在獄中服刑。他可在 2037 年申請出獄。

Vocabulary Learning

⚖️ The 'People' Words

In this story, we see different people with specific jobs. Let's look at how they are used:

  • Judges →\rightarrow The people who make the final decision in court.
  • Lawyers →\rightarrow The people who speak for a person or a city.

🕒 Time & Action

Look at these two ways to talk about the past and future:

Past (It happened)

  • killed (kill →\rightarrow killed)
  • said (say →\rightarrow said)
  • disagreed (disagree →\rightarrow disagreed)

Future (It will happen)

  • will stay (will + action)
  • can ask (can + action)

💡 Quick Logic

But = This word changes the direction of the story.

  • Example: "A lower court said he was free. But the Supreme Court disagreed." (Free →\rightarrow Not Free)

Vocabulary Learning

guilty (adj.)
Having done something wrong or broken the law
Example:The judge decided that the man was guilty of the crime.
court (n.)
A place where legal problems are decided by a judge
Example:The lawyer spoke to the judge in court.
disagreed (v.)
To have a different opinion from someone else
Example:My friend and I disagreed about which movie to watch.
trial (n.)
A meeting in court to decide if someone is guilty
Example:The trial lasted for three weeks.
protects (v.)
To keep something safe from harm or change
Example:A helmet protects your head when you ride a bike.
decisions (n.)
Choices made after thinking about something
Example:It is difficult to make big decisions quickly.
evidence (n.)
Facts or signs that show something is true
Example:The police found evidence at the house.
prison (n.)
A building where criminals are kept
Example:The thief had to stay in prison for two years.
Practice A2 words in a crossword→