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Accused hostage taker to stand trial in September

Posted at 10:42 PM, Jan 12, 2017
and last updated 2017-01-12 23:42:05-05

Just over a year ago an armed standoff occurred at a Neenah motorcycle shop between Brain Flatoff and police. One man, who witnesses say was a hostage, was killed when police fired at the wrong person as he fled the shop. Now Flatoff faces charges for his role in the incident including a charge of murder. Today the courts moved one step closer to a trial by jury by establishing a start date.

Flatoff had few words to share in court Thursday. The talking was done by the prosecution and Flatoff’s new defense attorney who discussed with the judge how soon they could bring this year old case to trial.

Flatoff's former attorney recently withdrew from the case, a case that involves Flatoff facing 16 felony charges for his alleged role in a gun fight with police and a charge of murder for the death of one of the alleged hostages, Michael Funk, who was killed by police when he exited the shop armed. The prosecution says they have 30 witnesses secured and ready to testify as both parties established a start date for the trial.

Today Flatoff’s trial by jury was actually moved from just a couple of months away in March to September 18th so that his defense has more time to prepare.

And as Flatoff's new attorney get's up to speed with the intricacies of this case, Flatoff will remain behind bars at the Waupon Correctional Institution.