Phone Battle Halts Murder Trial | Jacksonville News

Kirsten Bridegan, ex-wife of murder victim Jared Bridegan, narrowly avoided contempt after refusing to hand over her phone to Shanna Gardner’s defense team — a move that could’ve exposed critical texts and social media posts tied to the custody-driven killing. The judge initially halted trial proceedings, but an appeals court granted her temporary relief, leaving the phone’s fate uncertain. With jury selection looming, the defense’s delayed request for the device sparked privacy debates, while prosecutors accused them of narrowing their scope too much. In a surprising twist, the defense has now dropped its push for Bridegan and her twin children to testify — suggesting the phone standoff may have cooled, at least for now. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/71f261eabc0973c6