WITNESS RELUCTANT IN DRUG CASE

EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN -- A suspect in a drug trafficking case that
involved two murders faces a new trial in federal court this week
while federal prosecutors consider punishing a witness for refusing to
testify.

The reluctant witness, Gordon "Rock" Hoff Jr., could receive a prison
sentence even though the government already has his testimony from a
previous trial, Assistant U.S. Atty. John Vaudreuil said.

Eric R. Meyer, 34, of Elk Lake was granted a new trial in U.S.
District Court in Madison, having been sentenced to life in prison for
drug trafficking.

Hoff, 28, a convicted drug dealer and murderer sentenced to more than
30 years in prison, testified for seven hours in Meyer's 1996 trial.
He refuses this time, Judge John Shabaz was told during a hearing
Friday in Madison.

Meyer was granted a retrial because the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals in Chicago ruled jurors did not receive proper instructions
before convicting him in September 1996 of conspiracy to manufacture
and distribute cocaine and marijuana.