Subpoena flood wipes out day for library

MINDEN - Twenty-six Douglas County employees are being called as witnesses in a misdemeanor stalking trial scheduled to begin Thursday morning.

The list includes the entire staff of the county library, meaning both branches may be closed Thursday morning while employees are in court.

The subpoenas came from Richard Allen Shrader, 40, of Minden, who faces charges of writing an intimidating letter and stalking, both misdemeanors.

In all, he issued 29 subpoenas in connection with his case, which involves an employee of the library.

Library Director Linda Deacy said she fears both the Lake Tahoe and Minden branches of the library will have to close on Thursday.

"There's a chance that the judge will take one look and tell them to come back," she said. "To date that has not happened. I have 19 subpoenas that were issued for library employees. We're still scheduled to appear 9 a.m. Thursday morning."

Shrader, who could not be reached for comment, is the former husband of a library employee. The complaint was filed May 24.

Chief Civil Deputy District Attorney Brian Chally said that while all the employees are subpoenaed for the same time, there will be a schedule of witnesses.

"We bring two or three over at a time," he said. "This is just normal court procedure."

Chally said Deputy District Attorney Kris Brown has filed a motion requesting that Shrader provide evidence backing up the subpoenas.

"The judge will sort out what is legitimate," he said.

Both Deacy and Chally have been called as witnesses in the case.

"This is just normal court procedure," he said.

Deacy said she doesn't mind participating in the process, but that it looks like subpoenas went out without regard to actual evidence.

"These subpoenas are for people who worked for the library for two weeks," she said. "There are high school students who were subpoenaed. It appears to me that this is an attempt to bring the library to its knees."

Because Shrader is representing himself in the trial, he has the authority to compel witnesses to appear in his defense.

"The best case scenario is that we'll get this thing narrowed down to six people or so," she said. If so, library workers will open the branches as soon as possible, Deacy said.

The trial is set to begin at 9 a.m. Thursday.