Two of the men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer have been found not guilty.
On April 8, the jury found Daniel Harris not guilty of one charge of kidnapping conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device, and one count of possession of an unregistered short-barreled rifle.
Harris was the only one of the four defendants who testified in his own defense.
Brandon Caserta, who was charged with one count of kidnapping conspiracy, was also found not guilty.
The jury declared a mistrial on the charges brought against Barry Croft Jr. and Adam Fox. The charges include kidnapping conspiracy, conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, and possession of an unregistered destructive device.
The U.S. government claimed the men has been planning to kidnap Whitmer at her vacation home prior to the 2020 election and arrested them in October of 2020.
All four men have denied the government’s accusations.
“Two others took plea deals and testified against the four remaining federal defendants,” reports MLive.com. “Eight others face state charges.”
In total, 14 men were charged in connection with the alleged kidnapping plot.
The jury began deliberations on April 4. Just before 11 A.M., the jury notified Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker that they were deadlocked on some of the counts.
“I’d like you to go back and make another effort to see if you can come to an agreement on the issues that you’re stuck on,” Jonker told the jury. “If you can’t, you can’t.”
During the two week trial, prosecutors claimed the men were angry about restrictions Whitmer had implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic and hoped that the kidnapping would spark a civil war.
Defense attorneys for the accused men counterargued that they had been convinced by federal agents and informants to say provocative and violent things.
