2 Whitmer kidnap plot suspects found not guilty; mistrial declared for other 2

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Detroit Free Press

Tresa Baldas Arpan Lobo

April 8 2022

The historic Gretchen Whitmer kidnap plot case ended with no convictions Friday, delivering a blow to the government as it failed to convince a jury that four militia members were domestic terrorists determined to harm the governor because of  her COVID-19 restrictions.

The jury declared two of those men not guilty, but deadlocked on the charges against the other two, who will be retried.

Defendant Daniel Harris — the only one who testified at the trial — was acquitted on all four counts, with the judge telling the 24-year-old Lake Orion man he would be free to go Friday afternoon.  

(Snip)

Two of the four defendants put on no defense at all, but let the jury decide the case based on what the government presented.

Multiple undercover FBI agents and informants who had infiltrated the group also testified at trial, and corroborated many of the recorded statements that were played for the jury.

 All were charged with kidnapping conspiracy, which carries a maximum life sentence   in prison.  Harris, Fox and Croft were charged with weapons of mass destruction.

Croft and Harris were also charged with possession of an unregistered destructive device, and Harris was charged with possession of an illegal short-barrel rifle.

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