DUVAL COUNTY, Fla. — Two of three people charged in the alleged "murder-for-hire" plot to kill a St. Johns County father of four appeared back in Duval County court Monday morning.
Shanna Gardner, 37, charged with murder in the February 2022 death of her ex-husband Jared Bridegan, was back before Judge London Kite, as a motion to release her on bond and another to prohibit evidence were both denied.
Last month, Gardner's defense team led by high-powered attorney Jose Baez, alleged that the lead detective lied on the stand during her bond hearing and that the prosecution had misled the court.
The State Attorney's Office Fourth Judicial Circuit did not take those allegations lightly, stating in no way did they mislead the court as their response.
The piece of evidence the defense was trying to exclude in the case are text messages between Gardner and her friend Kim Jensen. The State Attorney's Office has described Jensen as a co-conspirator.
Gardner and her second husband, Mario Fernandez, who is also accused of being involved in the alleged plot, face first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, solicitation to commit a capital felony and child abuse charges.
Fernandez was also present in court Monday for the pre-trial hearing.
After taking action on the motions for Gardner, Judge Kite pushed for both sides to get a trial date set, as the state then estimated it would be a four-week trial.
"I know that you may think it is premature, I think it allows the parties to operate with some type of certainty," Kite said. "With a case like this, it allows the court to make proper preparations."
The prosecutor floated the idea to the defense to have trial start in August next year, but the defense seemed hesitant.
Gardner and Fernandez are both scheduled to be back in court on next Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 8:30 a.m.
