(Spirit Lake)– A judge has ruled against several defense motions in the case of a Spirit Lake man charged with kidnapping and willful injury. Wade Gardner is accused of kidnapping Deborah McDonald of Spirit Lake and holding her against her will in his basement last summer.
Three separate motions to dismiss the charges have been denied and overruled by district Judge David Lester.
In his ruling, the judge states that even though McDonald recanted a portion of her original story, that it does not exonerate Gardner. The judge goes on to say that McDonald’s credibility as a witness should be determined by a jury.
Gardner’s trial is scheduled for next month.
