Overview
- A Duval County judge heard renewed arguments over Shanna Gardner’s request to obtain Kirsten Bridegan’s cellphone and social-media content for Gardner’s defense in the 2022 ambush killing case.
- Judge London Kite previously found some communications could be relevant but narrowed the scope and ordered the court to review materials before releasing substantive content to the defense.
- Bridegan’s lawyers say the defense request is an overly broad fishing expedition, cite Florida’s Marsy’s Law to seek greater protection for the widow, and say she has not yet produced some court-ordered items.
- The parties dispute who will perform forensic work and whether a full phone image is allowed; the judge has indicated that imaging an entire phone would violate the widow’s rights and has limited extraction methods.
- The outcome will affect what digital evidence Gardner can use as she nears jury selection in early September and could shape how courts balance defendant discovery rights with victim privacy in future cases.