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

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MrsWatson said:
There were six charged in this case; two pled guilty & testified for the prosecution.

There are also other guys affiliated with this case who are being tried at state level.
Click to expand...
Thanks! Too many defendants here and I don't recall headers changing for plea agreements -- it's usually after verdict watch and conviction.
 
Thursday, April 7th:
*Trial continues (Day 17)-VERDICT WATCH! (Day 4) (Federal case) (@ 8:30am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - *Adam Dean Fox (38/now 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 & 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.
*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 & 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 began on 3/9/22. (expected to last 4-5 weeks). 12 jurors & 6 alternates. 3/17/22: 1 juror missing (out sick), replaced by alternate. 12 Jurors & 5 alternates. The trial was interrupted due to COVID from 3/11 to 3/16/22. 4/4/22: Jury deliberations ~8 hours. 4/5/22: Deliberations: ~8 hours. 4/6/22: Deliberations: ~8 hours. Total deliberations: ~24 hours.
Criminal Complaint & court info from 10/9/20 thru 3/13/22 & Jury Selection Day 1 (3/8/22) & Trial Days 1-4 (Week 1) (3/9 to 3/10 & 3/17 to 3/18/22), Trial Days 5-9 (Week 2) (3/21 to 3/25/22), Trial Days 10-14 (Week 3) (3/28 to 4/1/22) & Jury Deliberations Day 1 (4/4/22) reference post #524 here:
VERDICT WATCH - MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *2 guilty*
4/5/22 Tuesday, Trial Day 16/Jury deliberations (Day 2): Jury continued deliberations @ 8:30am. U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker rejected a request for trial transcripts Tuesday as jurors returned for a second day of deliberations. Judge Jonker said there is a practical reason: Transcripts of testimony aren't available yet. But even if they were, he added, the jury shouldn't have them. “You have to do your best as a group to recall, remember,” Jonker said. Jurors left about 5pm. Deliberations resume Wednesday, 4/6/22 at 8:30am.
4/6/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 17/Jury deliberations (Day 3): Jury continued deliberations @ 8:30am. No verdict yet. Jury deliberations continued on 4/7/22.
*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 pretrial hearing on 8/9/22 & trial starts 9/12/22).
 
4th day of deliberations starts in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Jurors got a quick pep talk from a judge as they entered a fourth day of deliberations Thursday in the trial of four men charged with coming up with a scheme to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

“We don’t have a lot to do except ring the opening bell and send you back to complete the work you’ve started or get as far as you can on it until you need us next,” U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker said. “We wish you all the very best.”

The jury so far this week has not signaled how its deliberations are progressing, asking only for a definition of “weapon” and requesting trial transcripts, sticky notes and paperclips. Transcripts were turned down as is custom.
 
No articles that I could find that there is a verdict - so going to "assume" they are still deliberating...

Friday, April 8th:
*Trial continues (Day 19)-VERDICT WATCH! (Day 5) (Federal case) (@ 8:30am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - *Adam Dean Fox (38/now 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 & 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.
*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 & 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 began on 3/9/22. (expected to last 4-5 weeks). 12 jurors & 6 alternates. 3/17/22: 1 juror missing (out sick), replaced by alternate. 12 Jurors & 5 alternates. The trial was interrupted due to COVID from 3/11 to 3/16/22. 4/4/22: Jury deliberations ~8 hours. 4/5/22: Deliberations: ~8 hours. 4/6/22: Deliberations: ~8 hours. 4/7/22: Deliberations: ~8 hours. Total deliberations: ~32 hours.
Criminal Complaint & court info from 10/9/20 thru 3/13/22 & Jury Selection Day 1 (3/8/22) & Trial Days 1-4 (Week 1) (3/9 to 3/10 & 3/17 to 3/18/22), Trial Days 5-9 (Week 2) (3/21 to 3/25/22), Trial Days 10-14 (Week 3) (3/28 to 4/1/22) & Jury Deliberations Day 1-2 (4/4 to 4/5/22) reference post #542 here:
VERDICT WATCH - MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *2 guilty*
4/6/22 Wednesday, Trial Day 17/Jury Deliberations Day 3: Jury continued deliberations @ 8:30am. No verdict yet. Jury deliberations continued on 4/7/22.
4/7/22 Thursday, Trial Day 18/Jury Deliberations Day 4: Jurors got a quick pep talk from a judge as they entered a fourth day of deliberations Thursday. The jury so far this week has not signaled how its deliberations are progressing, asking only for a definition of “weapon” & requesting trial transcripts, sticky notes & paperclips. Transcripts were turned down as is custom. Jury began deliberations @ 8:30am. Deliberations continue on 4/8/22.
*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 pretrial hearing on 8/9/22 & trial starts 9/12/22).
 
Last edited:
Jurors reach verdict in Gov. Whitmer federal kidnap conspiracy trial (detroitnews.com)

Grand Rapids — Jurors said Friday they have reached a verdict on some counts in the case against four men accused of plotting to kidnap and hurt Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer but are locked on others.

Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker announced the development just before 11 a.m. Friday and encouraged jurors in federal court in downtown Grand Rapids to keep deliberating in hopes of reaching a unanimous verdict.

"It is not unusual to come back somewhere along the line of deliberations and say 'we tried, but couldn’t get there,'" the judge said. "At least not on everything."...

Jury deadlocked on some charges in Whitmer kidnap plot trial (clickondetroit.com)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Jurors say they've reached decisions on some charges and are deadlocked on others in the trial of four men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker told the jury Friday to keep working on the unresolved charges. Decisions to convict or acquit must be unanimous...
 
Robert Snell from the Detroit News:


Robert Snell

@robertsnellnews

Jury fails to reach unanimous verdicts against accused Whitmer kidnap ringleaders Adam Fox and Barry Croft


Robert Snell

@robertsnellnews
·
5m

Accused Whitmer kidnappers Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are not guilty


My opinion only, but I believe this jury may have had belief of the entrapment defense
 
2 acquitted, mistrial declared for 2 others in Whitmer kidnap plot trial (clickondetroit.com)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – A jury in the trial against four men charged with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has returned a mixed verdict.

The jury found Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta not guilty on all charges, and were unable to reach a verdict in the charges against Adam Fox and Barry Croft, resulting in a mistrial.

The verdict was read in federal court in Grand Rapids on Friday afternoon. The jury started deliberations on Monday...
 
Jury finds 2 men not guilty in Whitmer kidnap case; unable to reach verdicts on 2 others (detroitnews.com)

Grand Rapids — Jurors found two men accused by the government of plotting to kidnap and hurt Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer not guilty and failed to reach unanimous verdicts against two others.

The jury said it found Lake Orion resident Daniel Harris, 24 and Brandon Caserta, 33, of Canton Township not guilty and couldn't reach verdicts on accused Whitmer kidnap ringleaders Adam Fox, 38, of Potterville and Barry Croft, 46, of Delaware...
 
2 acquitted, jury hung on 2 more in Whitmer kidnap plot

4/8/22

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.

A jury said Friday it has reached decisions on “several” of the 10 charges but was deadlocked on others in the trial of four men accused of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker acknowledged the struggle on the fifth day of deliberations but told jurors they should keep working while lunch was on the way.

Decisions to convict or acquit must be unanimous.

[..]

There are 10 charges in the case: one against Brandon Caserta, two against Adam Fox, three against Barry Croft Jr. and four against Daniel Harris. The men all face the main charge of a kidnapping conspiracy; the other counts are related to explosives and a firearm.
 
shotgun09 said:
Robert Snell from the Detroit News:


Robert Snell

@robertsnellnews

Jury fails to reach unanimous verdicts against accused Whitmer kidnap ringleaders Adam Fox and Barry Croft


Robert Snell

@robertsnellnews
·
5m

Accused Whitmer kidnappers Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are not guilty


My opinion only, but I believe this jury may have had belief of the entrapment defense
Click to expand...

I think you have a good point although for me, that is a garbage defense that is always used in cases like this. Very very disappointing. I know should not be suprised, and in a way I am not, but to me this was a slam dunk.
 
Jury declines to convict defendants in Michigan Gov. Whitmer kidnapping trial (nbcnews.com)

Anti-government militia members were charged with hatching a plot against the state's Democratic leader, angry over restrictions she ordered in the early days of the pandemic.

A federal jury failed to convict four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whom they despised for the restrictions she ordered early in the pandemic.

The panel in Grand Rapids considered charges against Daniel Harris, 24, Adam Fox, 38, Barry Croft Jr., 46, and Brandon Caserta, 33, all charged with conspiracy...
 
I have 'followed' this trial via alternative means on social media only. The amount of FBI involvement in this case was astounding IMO, and the belief of possible entrapment was allowed to be considered by the jury....permitted by the judge. Not one of these four were convicted of the charges. This speaks volumes to me
 
shotgun09 said:
I have 'followed' this trial via alternative means on social media only. The amount of FBI involvement in this case was astounding IMO, and the belief of possible entrapment was allowed to be considered by the jury....permitted by the judge. Not one of these four were convicted of the charges. This speaks volumes to me
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm still trying to understand why the fbi wanted to kidnap the governor.
 
ilovewings said:
I think you have a good point although for me, that is a garbage defense that is always used in cases like this. Very very disappointing. I know should not be suprised, and in a way I am not, but to me this was a slam dunk.
Click to expand...
IMO, once everything started coming out about how the informants played a bigger role than anyone imagined coupled with the FBI agent running the CIs and his cyber security company controversy, the likelihood of something like this happened dramatically.
 
It looks like the prosecutor has withdrawn from the case following inability to obtain convictions.

Prosecutor withdraws from Whitmer kidnap plot case after jury acquits two defendants, deadlocks on others

Unlike other informant centered cases that featured bored, angry- and lazy converts as would be Islamic terrorists after repeatedly being offered cash and then repeatedly reminded to take the "mission" seriously, or a case against a Michigan Christian militia of furloughed auto workers that was hyped and hyped again, this case seemed strong to me.

I mean, they evidently had the defendants driving by the governors vacation home and developing detailed plans. Thus alot harder to claim the plot was free speech about a theoretical action.

I wonder what is going on?
 
Cryptic said:
It looks like the prosecutor has withdrawn from the case following inability to obtain convictions.

Prosecutor withdraws from Whitmer kidnap plot case after jury acquits two defendants, deadlocks on others

Unlike other informant centered cases that featured bored, angry- and lazy converts as would be Islamic terrorists after repeatedly being offered cash and then repeatedly reminded to take the "mission" seriously, or a case against a Michigan Christian militia of furloughed auto workers that was hyped and hyped again, this case seemed strong to me.

I mean, they evidently had the defendants driving by the governors vacation home and developing detailed plans. Thus alot harder to claim the plot was free speech about a theoretical action.

I wonder what is going on?
Click to expand...

I thought this was a strong case
 
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