Defence cracks egg in court in Pathways murder trial, asks jurors to treat verdict delicately

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Defence attorney Anthony Williams on Thursday broke an egg in court as he implored a seven-member jury to treat their verdict in relation to his client, Andre Ruddock, delicately, claiming that the wrong man was on trial. Ruddock is on trial in relation to the October 17, 2021 throat cutting of 39-year-old Taneka Gardner at the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in St James. Ruddock is accused of killing Gardner on instructions from his now-deceased pastor, Dr Kevin Smith, in what is believed to be a human sacrifice ritual. But according to Ruddock, who took the witness stand earlier this week, he did not kill Gardner and cast blame on Smith as the person who cut the woman's throat. Williams, who brought out various props in court, trying to play on the minds of jurors, cracked the egg in court, pointing out that deciding on a verdict in relation to his client was to be treated carefully. He said that there were a number of things that could take place with the contents of an egg once it is broken. He said it could be scrambled, fried or used in other ways. If it cannot be used, then it would have to be discarded. He implored them not to throw Ruddock's life away, insisting that the wrong man was on trial. Prior to him cracking the egg, Williams took out an umbrella and held it over the heads of the two prosecutors in court. He also utilised a flashlight, which he turned on and pointed in the direction of the jurors. When Williams placed the umbrella over the prosecutors’ heads, one of them told him to remove it as she had all intentions of getting married. She appeared to be referencing an old saying, which claims that opening an umbrella indoors and holding it over one's head is a sign of bad luck and could render them husbandless or wifeless. The attorney carried on with his show anyhow. He said the prosecution’s case against Ruddock was clouded and covered in darkness. Using the flashlight, he told the jurors that he would point them to the light in the case. In reference to the prosecution's case, Williams held the umbrella over their section and said it was full of darkness like an avalanche, a mass of lies. He also said their case was filled with deceitfulness, dishonesty and unscrupulousness by the main witness and the police.