Senior attorney assigned to lead defence of alleged Pathways killer

Senior attorney-at-law Anthony Williams is to lead the defence at the trial of Andre Ruddock who is accused of killing a woman during an alleged sacrificial ritual at Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in St James.

Williams, who has appeared in several high-profile cases, said today that he was asked to represent Ruddock and has agreed to do so.

Ruddock, 37, who is charged with murder and wounding with intent, appeared in the Home Circuit Court last week.

He told the court that he could not afford a lawyer and requested legal aid assignment.

Justice Vinette Graham-Allen ordered that he should be assigned legal aid.

Attorney-at-law Venice Brown who was in court made a request to represent him and the judge granted permission.

The judge said she was going to request that the Legal Aid Council provide a senior lawyer to partner with Brown at the trial.

Ruddock, who is in custody, is to return to court on Wednesday.

Ruddock is charged with the murder of Taneka Gardner and the injury of another person.

It is alleged that during a ritual at the organisation on October 17, now deceased pastor Kevin Smith instructed another congregant to slit the throat of Gardner.

The congregant refused and Ruddock allegedly took the knife and slashed the woman's throat.

Ruddock was charged last week Monday after being transferred from St James to Kingston.

Smith who was also being transferred but in a separate police car died when the vehicle crashed in Linstead, St Catherine.

A policeman was also killed and two others injured.

Smith was to have been charged with two counts of murder, two counts of wounding with intent and one count of illegal possession of a firearm.

- Barbara Gayle 

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.