Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Admitted Shooter Seeks To Withdraw Plea, Refuses To Testify in Bridegan Murder Case

The move removes the prosecution’s principal witness as a judge prepares to hear his withdrawal request on Feb. 17.

Overview

  • In a motion filed Friday, Henry Tenon said he will not testify against Shanna Gardner or Mario Fernandez and asked to proceed to trial.
  • The filing invokes Florida Rule of Criminal Procedure 3.170(f), which allows a judge to permit withdrawal of a guilty plea before sentencing.
  • Tenon pleaded guilty in 2023 to second-degree murder under a deal requiring his cooperation, with dropped charges and a recommended sentencing range beginning around 15 years.
  • He has made prior inconsistent statements about his testimony, at one point telling a judge it was false before later retracting that claim.
  • Gardner and Fernandez remain indicted on first-degree murder and other charges, with jury selection set for Aug. 10 after prosecutors ended their death-penalty pursuit in November 2025.