COLLEEN LONG
Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The man suspected of killing a 6-year-old boy in one of New York City’s most notorious missing children’s cases burst into tears during a videotaped confession as detectives hugged and comforted him.

The video played Thursday in Manhattan state Supreme Court was the first taped confession by Pedro Hernandez. He was arrested in May 2012 for the killing of Etan Patz (AY’-tahn payts) who disappeared May 25, 1979. But it’s the second tape viewed by Judge Maxwell Wiley, who must decide whether the confessions will be used as evidence in Hernandez’ upcoming murder trial — not whether the admissions are true.

The boy’s body has never been found. Hernandez has pleaded not guilty and his attorney, Harvey Fishbein, says the confessions are false and his client didn’t understand his rights.

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