Intense battle between defence, prosecutors begins in Andre Ruddock murder trial

An intense battle between defence attorneys and prosecutors began on Monday over the admissibility of certain documents that could make or break the case against murder accused Andre Ruddock in relation to bizarre events that unfolded at Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in Albion, St James, in 2021. Trial judge Justice Leighton Pusey began hearing the arguments in a voir dire, which is essentially a trial within a trial, to ascertain whether the documents will be accepted or rejected. The voir dire could last up to Wednesday during which time there will be no media coverage as it will be a private session involving the judge, defence lawyers Anthony Williams and Venice Brown, the prosecution, as well as witnesses who had anything to do with the documents. Ruddock is on trial in the Home Circuit Court in Kingston for murder in relation to the October 17, 2021 killing of 39-year-old Taneka Gardner whose throat was cut, allegedly by Ruddock on instructions from his now-deceased pastor Kevin Smith, during what was said to have been a human sacrifice ritual at the church. Smith allegedly told Gardener that her blood was unclean and therefore she had to die by having her throat cut. After she told the pastor that she believed he could bring her back to life if she was killed, Ruddock allegedly used a knife to slit her throat. Two other people were killed at the church that day. Member Michael Brown was killed after Pastor Smith allegedly ripped a catheter from his body, causing him to bleed out. He, too, allegedly told Smith that he believed the pastor could raise him from the dead. It is alleged that Brown, who was gravely ill, pleaded to the pastor to save him but the pastor allegedly reminded him that he failed to bring $600,000 to him as was requested on a previous occasion. Based on the account from witnesses, the pastor contemplated putting his lifeless body inside a chicken coop. Kevaughn Plummer, the other person who was killed at the church, was shot dead by police after he rushed toward them with a knife. It is alleged that he was acting on the instructions of the pastor who told him to kill the police if they attempted to gain access to the church compound. In relation to the contentious documents, defence counsel Williams objected to them being admitted into evidence last week, which triggered the voir dire. Last week, a detective constable testified that he was part of a team that was present when Ruddock allegedly admitted to killing Gardner. “There was no threat whatsoever. Nothing was promised and no, there was no force,” the detective constable told the court in the presence of the seven-member jury. “He was willing to say what he had to. He was very cooperative. Yes, it was voluntarily given and yes, I would describe the process as fair,” the detective said, during the examination-in-chief led by prosecutor LaToya Bernard. According to the detective, two justices of the peace were present during the interview and both of them signed the statement as witnesses. “The justices of the peace were in the room for all of the process. After he was done, Detective Sergeant Bond invited Ruddock to sign all pages, as well as the justices of the peace. I signed the document as a witness and Detective Sergeant Bond signed that document as well. “When Andre Ruddock was done telling the story and Detective Sergeant Bond confirmed it, he told him that he would read over what was said to him. I focused the camera on Detective Sergeant Bond and Andre Ruddock as he spoke and the sergeant wrote it. He was writing on a Jamaica Constabulary Force prescribed form. Detective Sergeant Bond had the form on the table and at the start it was shown to the justices of the peace and Andre Ruddock to show that nothing was previously recorded on it. “Andre Ruddock looked at the form. He signed the form after giving his name. This was after Detective Sergeant Bond cautioned him and asked him if he wanted to record it or if he wanted to write it himself. He asked Detective Sergeant Bond to write it,” the detective constable testified. The trial is expected to resume in the presence of jurors on Wednesday.