Defence challenges JP’s credibility

The defence in the Andre Ruddock murder trial on Monday tried to discredit the evidence of a justice of the peace (JP) by questioning whether he knew a video camera was rolling during what was supposed to be a private conversation between himself, her client and another JP on October 18, 2021. Ruddock is on trial for murder in relation to the October 17, 2021 human sacrifice type killing of 39-year-old Taneka Gardner at Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in Albion, St James. He was allegedly acting on orders from his now-deceased pastor Kevin Smith. Ruddock was subsequently arrested and taken to Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay, St James, where he allegedly gave a caution statement confessing to the killing. After he gave that statement, allegedly of his own free will, Ruddock answered 42 questions that were posed to him by detectives in the presence of the JPs.

In the answers he gave to those questions, Ruddock explained that he was the one responsible for cutting Gardner’s throat and that he did it because the pastor told him to do so. Prior to the taking of the caution statement and the question-and-answer session, Ruddock was supposed to be given a private moment with the JPs. However, the evidence that came out in court in the presence of the seven jurors indicated that the camera was rolling during the time when the detectives had left the room on the request of the JPs. The private session was captured on video, which the jurors have seen and heard in court. During what was supposed to be a private session, the JPs asked Ruddock if he was well and if he had been abused in any way while in custody. Ruddock told the JPs that he was fine and that he was not forced to give a statement. He indicated to them that he just wanted to do the right…