Ruud’s defense team plans to argue against allowing recording; trial date to be rescheduled again

A virtual meeting was held April 16 between Circuit Judge Calvin Holden, public defenders Kate Welborn and Cheryl Duvall, and the prosecution duo of Ozark County Prosecuting Attorney John Garrabrant and Tony Brown from the Missouri Attorney General’s office in reference to the Savannah Leckie murder case. 

In that case, Theodosia-area resident Rebecca Ruud is charged with murdering her 16-year-old biological daughter Savannah in 2017 and disposing of her body in a burn pile. The Missouri Supreme Court recently ruled in favor of allowing a recording that Ruud reportedly made in secret before her arrest when she was speaking with an investigator from the Missouri Public Defender’s office. 

During last week’s virtual meeting, the group discussed the issuance of the Supreme Court’s writ of mandamus, which essentially asks Holden to allow the recording as admissible evidence, something the judge had previously ruled was protected discussion between Ruud and her attorney.

The defense team has indicated that they will submit a return to the writ on behalf of Judge Holden, basically arguing against the Supreme Court’s decision by providing case law and other legal arguments to support their argument that it shouldn’t be allowed.

The return is due by May 6. At that point, the Missouri Supreme Court will determine if the writ will be made permanent or ensure that the parties are fully briefed and set a date for argument on the matter. 

In light of that development, Holden removed Ruud’s scheduled May 18 trial from the court’s trial docket. The trial date will not be reset until the Supreme Court matter is final.