MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *8 guilty, 5 NG*

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JerseyGirl said:
Michigan judge to decide on trial for 3 in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot

Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wilson set an afternoon video conference to determine if Joseph Morrison, Pete Musico and Paul Bellar will stand trial.
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This part of the case has sure fallen apart. I recall a year ago (March 2021) when a district court judge ruled there was enough evidence to bound the trio over for trial in the circuit court.

3/29/2021--Judge orders 3 to trial in plot to kidnap Michigan governor
 
Ah - I found their next hearing date!

AG - Attempt to Dismiss Wolverine Watchmen Cases Fails in Jackson County

Mar. 1, 2022

LANSING - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is providing the following statement in response to Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wilson denying an entrapment motion filed by Jackson County defendants Paul Bellar, Joseph Morrison and Pete Musico:

"As expected, the defense has worked to skew the facts of this case to undermine the integrity of the charges. This ruling makes clear these defendants were not pressured by law enforcement into committing these crimes. These were very serious threats to our elected officials and the public, and the perpetrators of these crimes must be held accountable."
[.....]
Judge Wilson scheduled the Jackson County trial to begin Monday, Sept. 12. A pretrial date was set for Aug. 8.
 
No pseudonyms for FBI agents in Whitmer kidnapping case, judge says

Undercover FBI agents must testify using their real names during next week's trial involving the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot despite prosecutors arguing that doing so would hinder an ongoing counterterrorism investigation and jeopardize the agents' safety, a judge said Thursday.

Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker said fairness demands that FBI agents use their real names during the trial. The order deals a setback to federal prosecutors who wanted to have two agents testify using pseudonyms and to keep their real names from the defense.
 
Tuesday, March 8th:
*Trial set to begin for all (Federal case) with Jury Selection (@ 10am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - *Adam Dean Fox (39) (born 1983) of Grand Rapids, *Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. (44/now 45) (no birth date given) from Bear, Delaware (waiting to be extradited to MI), *Daniel Joseph Harris (23/now 24) (born 1997) of Lake Orion & *Brandon Michael-Ray Caserta (32/now 33) (born 1988) of Canton arrested & charged (10/8/20) & indicted (12/17/20) with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. All charged with a federal crime. All are being held without bond. All plead not guilty (12/17/20).
*Adam Dean Fox additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers.
*Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law. Harris is alleged to have possessed, between July 10, 2020 & Sept. 13, 2020, an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber semiautomatic assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him.
*Daniel Joseph Harris additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law. Harris is alleged to have possessed, between July 10, 2020 & Sept. 13, 2020, an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber semiautomatic assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him.
Trial set to begin on 3/8/22 with jury seleciton (expected to last 4-5 weeks).
Criminal Complaint & court info from 10/9/20 thru 2/7/22 reference post #419 here:
MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *2 guilty*
2/18/22 Update: U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker held a final housekeeping hearing ahead of the 3/8/22 trial in federal court in Grand Rapids. The trial could last four to five weeks & run into the spring break of schools in western Michigan. Jonker said he’s not likely to keep someone with travel plans in the jury pool, which means there could be fewer people with school-age children to consider. The judge said the identities of jurors will not be publicly revealed & jurors will only be identified by a number. Next trial set to begin on 3/8/22.
3/3/22 Update: Undercover FBI agents must testify using their real names during next week's trial involving the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot despite prosecutors arguing that doing so would hinder an ongoing counterterrorism investigation & jeopardize the agents' safety, a judge said Thursday. Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker said fairness demands that FBI agents use their real names during the trial. The order deals a setback to federal prosecutors who wanted to have two agents testify using pseudonyms & to keep their real names from the defense.
*Ty Gerard Garbin (24) - plead guilty (1/27/21) to kidnapping conspiracy & was sentenced (8/25/21) to 6 years & 3 months in Federal prison. Garbin will testify at the trial of the other defendants. Lengthy testimony & repeated debriefings have been critical in building a case to counter defense arguments that revolve around free speech issues as well as accusations of entrapment by federal undercover informants, Nils R. Kessler, the lead U.S. attorney on the case.
Kaleb James Franks (26) – Plead guilty (2/7/22) to kidnapping conspiracy. Will testify at trial & will be sentencing afterwards.
(State: for Antrim County on 4/14/21 & Jackson County on 8/8/22 & trial starts 9/12/22).
 
Wednesday, March 9th:
*Trial continues with Jury Selection (Day 2) (Federal case) (@ 10am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - *Adam Dean Fox (39) (born 1983) of Grand Rapids, *Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. (44/now 45) (no birth date given) from Bear, Delaware (waiting to be extradited to MI), *Daniel Joseph Harris (23/now 24) (born 1997) of Lake Orion & *Brandon Michael-Ray Caserta (32/now 33) (born 1988) of Canton arrested & charged (10/8/20) & indicted (12/17/20) with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. All charged with a federal crime. All are being held without bond. All plead not guilty (12/17/20).
*Adam Dean Fox additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers.
*Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law. Harris is alleged to have possessed, between July 10, 2020 & Sept. 13, 2020, an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber semiautomatic assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him.
*Daniel Joseph Harris additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law. Harris is alleged to have possessed, between July 10, 2020 & Sept. 13, 2020, an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber semiautomatic assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him.
Trial began on 3/8/22 with jury selection. (expected to last 4-5 weeks).
Criminal Complaint & court info from 10/9/20 thru 3/3/22 reference post #449 here:
MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *2 guilty*
3/8/22 Tuesday, Trial Day 1: Jury selection in the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnap trial opened with talk about politics & COVID-19, with Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker telling the prospective jurors he doesn't care if they love the governor or can't wait to vote her out. All that matters is if they can set aside their biases, and issue a verdict based only on the evidence presented at trial, not what they've heard from the news or their personal opinions, the Judge told the jury pool. During jury selection, the Judge asked prospective jurors their views on guns, patriotism & law enforcement - all of which are part of this case. More than half the prospective jurors noted they owned guns, including one man who owns an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle. As of 1:45 p.m., 24 people were dismissed from the jury pool, including a man who said he has "personal issues against the governor," another man who said he would probably be biased against her; a woman who said the news has "tainted her" & that she's not a fan of the governor; and a bed & breakfast owner from up north who expressed some mistrust with the government. Others were excused for work or health issues. Nearly all of the prospective jurors said they had heard of the case, though a few who said they know nothing about the case & never listen to news or pay attention to politics. Jonker also stressed to the jury that watching the news during this trial is strictly off limits. Jury selection continued through 5p.m. Tuesday in a case that is expected to last four to six weeks. Jury selection continues on 3/9/22.
*Ty Gerard Garbin (24) - plead guilty (1/27/21) to kidnapping conspiracy & was sentenced (8/25/21) to 6 years & 3 months in Federal prison. Garbin will testify at the trial of the other defendants. Lengthy testimony & repeated debriefings have been critical in building a case to counter defense arguments that revolve around free speech issues as well as accusations of entrapment by federal undercover informants, Nils R. Kessler, the lead U.S. attorney on the case.
Kaleb James Franks (26) – Plead guilty (2/7/22) to kidnapping conspiracy. Will testify at trial & will be sentencing afterwards.
(State: for Antrim County on 4/14/21 & Jackson County on 8/8/22 & trial starts 9/12/22).
 
Whitmer kidnap plotters wanted to spark second Civil War, feds say

“They agreed, planned, trained and were ready to break into a woman’s home while she slept with her family in the middle of the night, with violence, at gunpoint, to tie her up, take her from that home, shoot, blow up and kill anybody who got in their way,” Roth told jurors. “And in their own words: create a war zone in Michigan.”
***
“They began plotting to kidnap the governor of Michigan,” Roth said. “He said the whole point is ‘we’re sending a message to them that if we can get her, we can get you.’”

Whitmer, a Democrat, was the main target among a group that also discussed attacking Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, a Republican, along with a second Democrat, former Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, according to prosecutors.

"I say we hang everything currently governing us, they're all guilty!!!," Croft wrote in one Facebook post, which also included an image of then-President Donald Trump. "Wanna hang this mf'er too..."


More at link.
 
Thank you that article @MrsWatson ! Much appreciated.

And here I thought jury selection would take some time - I guess not!
Do you or anyone know how many alternates there are & maybe the breakdown of the jurors (men vs women). TIA!
 
Sorry, @Niner, I don't know but will keep an eye out for any new updates about what happens today in court. :)

ETA: I would not be surprised if we hear nothing about the jurors other than basic male/female/age. I think this is a very sensitive trial and has a lot of repercussions for so many of these groups. JMO though.
 
Niner said:
Okay - sounds good to me. All I'm finding over here are old articles... :( appreciate your help! :)
Click to expand...

@Niner -- take note that we'll soon have overlapping trial juristrictions-- some trials will be in US District Court (under Federal guidelines), and the others in State Courts.

As @MrsWatson recently posted, the Federal Court just ordered that some motions not be made available to the media/public until after the conclusion of the trial or otherwise ordered.

In other words, unless a reporter is attending the trial in person, I doubt we will get many specific details from MSM for the trial in Federal Court.
 
Thursday, March 10th:
*Trial continues (Day 2) (Federal case) (@ 10am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - *Adam Dean Fox (39) (born 1983) of Grand Rapids, *Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. (44/now 45) (no birth date given) from Bear, Delaware (waiting to be extradited to MI), *Daniel Joseph Harris (23/now 24) (born 1997) of Lake Orion & *Brandon Michael-Ray Caserta (32/now 33) (born 1988) of Canton arrested & charged (10/8/20) & indicted (12/17/20) with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. All charged with a federal crime. All are being held without bond. All plead not guilty (12/17/20).
*Adam Dean Fox additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers.
*Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law. Harris is alleged to have possessed, between July 10, 2020 & Sept. 13, 2020, an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber semiautomatic assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him.
*Daniel Joseph Harris additional charges (4/28/21) with knowingly conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction against persons or property in addition to the kidnapping conspiracy charged in October 2020. The superseding indictment further alleges that Fox, Croft & Harris intended to use the devices to destroy a nearby bridge, in effect, harming & hindering the governor’s security detail and any responding law enforcement officers & superseding indictment also alleges that on Sept. 13, 2020 in Lake County, Michigan, Croft & Harris knowingly possessed a destructive device that was not registered to them in the National Firearms Registration & Transfer Record as required by federal law. Harris is alleged to have possessed, between July 10, 2020 & Sept. 13, 2020, an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15, .223/5.56 mm caliber semiautomatic assault rifle with a barrel of less than 16 inches in length that was not registered to him.
Trial began on 3/8/22 with jury selection & trial begin on 3/9/22. (expected to last 4-5 weeks).
Criminal Complaint & court info from 10/9/20 thru 3/3/22 & Jury Selection Day 1 (3/8/22) reference post #451 here:
MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *2 guilty*
3/9/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 1: No word on how many jurors and alternates. Judge rules media cannot have daily access to photos, videos & other trial exhibits until there's a verdict in Gov. Whitmer kidnapping conspiracy trial.
Opening statements by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Roth. Prosecutors marked the start of the domestic terrorism trial of four men accused of scheming to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday by cataloging the alleged acts of angry men who built bombs, hatched violent plans & amassed an arsenal in hopes of sparking a nationwide wave of terror targeting politicians. "They agreed, planned, trained & were ready to break into a woman’s home while she slept with her family in the middle of the night, with violence, at gunpoint, to tie her up, take her from that home, shoot, blow up & kill anybody who got in their way,” Roth told jurors. “And in their own words: create a war zone in Michigan.” Roth described the accused plotters as followers of the Boogaloo movement.
Defense lawyers have said there was no plot & that their clients were merely using coarse language to voice complaints about the government's response to the pandemic. “Adam Fox did not commit a crime in this case,” his lawyer, Christopher Gibbons in opening statements. “There was no plan. There was no conspiracy. Gibbons downplayed the significance of a June 2020 meeting in Dublin, Ohio, that prosecutors portrayed as an inciting moment when the kidnap plot crystallized around anger over COVID-19 restrictions. Gibbons blamed FBI informant Stephen Robeson for propping Fox up as the leader of the so-called Michigan Three Percent Patriot Militia. Gibbons also portrayed an FBI informant known as “Dan” as a predator who preyed on Fox, who was described as an impressionable misfit loner. Gibbons started to suggest the training was organized by the FBI as part of a broader pattern of entrapment. But Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker cut him off.
Jonker initially decided not to let lawyers discuss entrapment during opening statements or during the government's case. But he changed his mind Wednesday after all but Fox's lawyer had delivered an opening statement to jurors. The judge decided to have defense lawyers & prosecutors return later Wednesday to address entrapment.
Two convicted plotters originally charged in federal court — Ty Garbin of Hartland Township & Kaleb Franks of Waterford Township — are expected to testify for the government that the four defendants were not entrapped by the government.
Daniel Harris’ lawyer Julia Kelly on opening statements. She portrayed Harris as falling under the spell of “Dan,” the FBI informant, who posed as a war hero.
Lawyer Michael Hills for Daniel Caserta on opening statements. Caserta, a machinist from Canton Township, was described by his lawyer Wednesday as a minor figure who was not involved in many of the landmark events & chats that will be described to jurors, including a nighttime surveillance of Whitmer's vacation home.
Lawyer Josh Blanchard for Barry Croft on opening statements. Croft, meanwhile, projected a starkly different image in court after two years of prosecutors showing him in camouflaged clothes with wild, unkempt facial hair & labeling him a bombmaker who liked to wear a tricorn hat — until it was seized by the FBI. On Wednesday, he wore a gray suit & large striped tie, the unruly beard replaced with a trimmed salt-and-pepper one. His lawyer, Josh Blanchard, grimaced when the prosecutor noted the transformation, telling jurors not to be misled by the man sitting before them who resembled a “math teacher.”
for more info see post #452 here:
MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *2 guilty*
Trial continues on 3/10/22.
*Ty Gerard Garbin (24) - plead guilty (1/27/21) to kidnapping conspiracy & was sentenced (8/25/21) to 6 years & 3 months in Federal prison. Garbin will testify at the trial of the other defendants. Lengthy testimony & repeated debriefings have been critical in building a case to counter defense arguments that revolve around free speech issues as well as accusations of entrapment by federal undercover informants, Nils R. Kessler, the lead U.S. attorney on the case.
Kaleb James Franks (26) – Plead guilty (2/7/22) to kidnapping conspiracy. Will testify at trial & will be sentencing afterwards.
(State: for Antrim County on 4/14/21 & Jackson County on 8/8/22 & trial starts 9/12/22).
 
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