Kidnapping Trial Delayed by Witness Refusing to Testify

The first day of trial for a Massachusetts man charged with kidnapping a 20-year-old Windham woman in April 2012 was delayed Tuesday after a witness said he would rather go to jail than testify, according to the Union Leader.

Luis Carvalho, 33, of Taunton, Mass. is facing six charges including kidnapping, burglary, criminal threatening and disobeying a police officer. The woman allegedly kidnapped was identified in the report as Samantha Gervais.

The paper said that Matthew Nugent of Billerica, Mass. was due to appear before Judge Marguerite Wageling on Tuesday. According to Nugent's lawyer, it was suggested that Nugent's firearms were used in the home invasion and that he later gave false statements to police in Massachusetts.

At the time of the incident, Carvalho fled the scene on Glance Road before police arrived. He was later tracked down by police about two hours later, although two other men who committed the alleged burglary and kidnapping with Carvalho were never identified.