Confessed hitman in Jared Bridegan murder case claims testimony was 'false,' court records reveal
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The man who confessed to shooting and killing Jared Bridegan told a judge he had given “false testimony,” a newly released document shows.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The man the State Attorney’s Office Fourth Judicial Circuit says confessed to shooting and killing St. Augustine father Jared Bridegan told a judge he had given “false testimony,” a newly released document shows.

Henry Tenon has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and admitted to being the man who pulled the trigger in the fatal ambush in February 2022. He is set to testify in the trial of Bridegan’s ex-wife Shanna Gardner and her second husband, Mario Fernandez-Saldana, who are accused of plotting to kill Bridegan and offering Tenon $150,000 to kill Bridegan.

In a request entered into court record Wednesday, Fernandez’s attorneys requested several documents related to Tenon, saying that he told the court, “In no uncertain terms… that he wanted to bring to the Court’s attention that his prior testimony was ‘false testimony,’” during a January hearing. However, records show he was not able to explain to the judge what testimony he was talking about.

Now, Fernandez’s attorneys are asking for any records to explain why Tenon was not able to explain what testimony was false and why he has not returned to court since making these statements in January.

The request includes a transcript of a Jan. 13 hearing, which reveals Tenon’s statements that sparked this request. The transcript provides a record of Tenon addressing Duval County Judge London Kite in front of the court that day.

Kite told Tenon’s attorney the purpose of the hearing was to make sure “everything was okay,” because he had not appeared before her in awhile.

Tenon asked Kite, “Your Honor, may I say something?”

Kite urged Tenon to talk to his attorney. “Talk to Mr. Chipperfield first. Tell him what you want to tell me, okay?”

Tenon carried on anyway, saying, “I just want to bring to your attention that my testimony–”

Kite cut him off, saying “No, no, no.” The court record shows that Tenon continued, “–false testimony–” but Kite interrupted, telling him, “hold on.”

“Mr. Tenon, we need to talk about that,” Tenon’s attorney, Public Defender Alan Chipperfield, told him.

Tenon said: “I need another attorney.”

Kite announced a decision to speak with Chipperfield and pass Tenon’s appearance until Jan. 22. However, records show she later moved the hearing to April 14.

Based on the evidence in this transcript, Fernandez’s attorneys are asking for any “information, correspondence, conversation summaries/notes, sidebar conversations, emails with Mr. Tenon’s counsel, the Court’s Judicial Assistant, the Clerk’s office, and/or the Court that provide information as to why Mr. Tenon was not brought back out to the courtroom (after the Court temporarily passed his case to allow him to speak with counsel).”

They are also questioning any of these types of documents that can explain why the court date was moved to April, and any documents that show what the State Attorney’s Office has done to find out what testimony of Tenon’s was false.

Fernandez and Gardner will next appear in court March 28.

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