Opinion ID: 617507
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Material Witness Order and Arrest Warrant.

Text: Trainor sought a material witness order to secure Flagler's attendance at Becker's trial pursuant to New York Criminal Procedure Law Article 620. He alleged that Flagler had quit responding to telephone calls after January 5, 2007, and that she was avoiding service of subpoena [sic] for the upcoming trial. He also recounted for the court his conversation with Becker's ex-wife. Trainor moved for the material witness order on March 1, 2007. On the basis of Trainor's affirmation, the County Court ordered Flagler to appear at a hearing on March 7, 2007 in order to determine whether she should be adjudged a material witness. The court also issued a material witness arrest warrant. In doing so, the judge found reasonable cause to believe that Flagler would be unlikely to respond to the court's order voluntarily. In her complaint, Flagler alleged that Trainor knowingly made false statements in support of the material witness order. She claimed that while she had planned to leave for a vacation on March 8, 2007, Trainor knew that she would return on March 11, 2007, in time for Becker's trial. She asserted that despite knowing her home, work, and school addresses, Trainor made no attempt to notify her about Becker's upcoming trial or to subpoena her. In addition, Flagler alleged that while the County Court issued the material witness arrest warrant on March 1, 2007, she was not arrested until March 7, 2007, one day after she called Trainor and confirmed that she would testify.