JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A judge has ordered Kirsten Bridegan, the widow of Jared Bridegan, to sit for a second deposition — this one limited to seven specific topics and capped at two hours.
Jared Bridegan was killed in 2022 in what prosecutors describe as a murder-for-hire plot. His ex-wife, Shanna Gardner, and her estranged husband, Mario Fernandez, are accused of orchestrating the killing.
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A third defendant, Henry Tenon, previously pleaded guilty to shooting Bridegan but withdrew that plea in February. A judge decided in May that some incriminating statements he made to prosecutors cannot be used during his first-degree murder trial. But sworn statements he made as part of his previous plea deal can be used.
Why a second deposition was ordered
Court documents show Kirsten Bridegan declined to answer a series of questions during her first deposition about communications with a minor, whose name is redacted in the order. According to the order, she would not answer those questions “unless a judge makes [her] do so.”
After a break, she did return and answered some questions about her communications with the child. Because she answered some questions but not others, the court ordered the limited second deposition.
Attorney Gene Nichols, who is not associated with the case, explained why that distinction matters.
“The rules are very clear in civil cases and in criminal cases,” Nichols said. “If the deponent is not answering the questions, the door gets reopened to continue a deposition — not to go into everything all over again, but to go into those topics that we either objected to, were subsequently certified, and or what she claimed that she just did not know.”
What can be asked in the second deposition
The judge limited questioning to seven specific topics. Among them are any messages Kirsten Bridegan exchanged with the child between December 25, 2025, and the date of the second deposition, as well as screenshots she took of those communications.
Attorneys can also ask about her usernames or handles on Snapchat, BeReal, and X — including when those accounts were created, deleted, deactivated, or transferred — if she used or maintained them at any point in 2025 or 2026.
Nichols said the focus on those specific platforms is telling.
“Quite frankly, I think there’ll be questions as to why she’s communicating with the child through social media platforms that in and of themselves are not keeping or recording or storing that information,” Nichols said. “So I think that’s a lot of what we’ve got going on, at least with this order.”
Nichols also noted the court’s balancing act in this case.
“There’s no question that the court is going to do everything they can to protect a victim in this case and protect the widow of the victim in this case,” he said. “But at the same time, defense counsel has the absolute right to depose that witness and has the absolute right to get answers to their questions.”
News4Jax reached out to Kirsten Bridegan’s attorney and the Bridegan Foundation for comment on the court order. Neither had responded as of publication.
Trials on the horizon
Three trials are now on the calendar. Jury selection for Mario Fernandez is expected to begin August 10, with the trial expected to start the following week. Jury selection for Shanna Gardner is set to begin August 31. Henry Tenon’s trial is scheduled for March 29th of next year.