Jury finds 2 men not guilty in Whitmer kidnap case; unable to reach verdicts on 2 others

[demmiblue]

Source: The Detroit News

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.

The four men faced kidnapping conspiracy charges, a felony punishable by up to life in prison. Three faced multiple charges, including conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction.

Earlier Friday, jurors indicated they had reached a verdict on some counts in the case but were locked on others. Chief U.S. District Judge Robert Jonker announced the development just before 11 a.m. and encouraged the jurors in federal court in downtown Grand Rapids to keep deliberating in hopes of reaching a unanimous verdict.

Read more: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/04/08/michigan-governor-whitmer-federal-kidnap-conspiracy-trial-verdict/9487618002/

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Caserta:

Link to tweet

"Doctors who advocated mandated vaccines — bullet to the face," Caserta is heard saying in recordings captured by Dan.

"Buildings that manufacture the vaccines, blow them up. I'm not even kidding. Any lawyer that supports a vaccine mandate, decapitate them in their own home" Caserta said.

"I want Zionist banker blood," Caserta is heard saying in one recording, likely referring to an antisemitic conspiracy theory that "Zionists" have infiltrated the government and make major decisions that shape society from behind the scenes.

"He wanted to drink their blood from their skulls," said Dan, referring to the "Zionist bankers' whom Caserta vented about. "He would go on tangents, he had a lot of emotion in this."

[Ray Bruns]

1. Well, now we know where the MAGATs are.

[certainot]

24. it's talk radio state. all those stations pollute jury pools on stuff like this. and MU 7 and MSU 11

support 18 xlimbaugh stations between them - and michiganders let it keep happening

[maxsolomon]

2. Jury Nullification.

Works well all over America.

[ck4829]

5. And as the right perverts the rule of law, we'll need to learn to use it ourselves

If I was on a jury for example, I would never find a person guilty of possessing any small amount of drugs, I would never find a person guilty if it came to anything abortion-related if the law ever comes to that.

[Calista241]

19. 2 of them were found not guilty entirely. That's way worse than 1 or 2 jurors being maga.

[ck4829]

3. Defense played a good game, the idea that it was entrapment loomed over the trial

These guys are going to raise red flags for a very long time though, so I hope they don't believe they are free to do as they please.

[rockfordfile]

31. That's not how these right-wing terrorist thinks

[Midnight Writer]

4. Honest question here. Who is defending them? How is the defense being paid for?

I'm not beyond looking into an entrapment defense, I'm sure entrapment happens, but rarely does the entrapment defense win.

I'm guessing either the government has a weak case, or the defendants have top-notch counsel.

[atreides1]

8. You forgot one

The jury saw themselves in the defendants...and the defense played on that!

[Midnight Writer]

13. My bad.

[Coventina]

6. I'm officially devoid of hope. We (the US) are going full on fascist.

[The Grand Illuminist]

9. It is about not fighting their fight.

That is where the problem lies.

[Emile]

7. Corrupt jurors!

[MichMan]

10. All 12 of them?

[Emile]

11. Enough of them!

[Thomas Hurt]

18. Only takes one jury nullifying cultist.

[Calista241]

20. 2 of them were found not guilty. every juror voted for that result.

That's worse than one or two maga people on the jury.

[Thomas Hurt]

23. then they must have believed the entrapment defense.

Still only takes one juror to hang a jury.

[demmiblue]

12. Worth remembering: Two men -- Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks -- pleaded guilty and testified against...

Worth remembering: Two men -- Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks -- pleaded guilty and testified against the others at trial, telling the jury they were willing participants in the kidnap plot, and so were their cohorts.

Link to tweet

[ybbor]

14. As a Michigander, I am disgusted

This is a travesty! What was going on in that jury room? Who tainted them?

I live in a bubble here in Ann Arbor and am surrounded by communities that are full of racist, trump-humpers.

Disgusting!

I am so concerned for the nation my daughter will be living in as she grows older.

Sad 😢

[chowder66]

15. I'm sure we will see them in the news again one day.

[old guy]

26. Yup.

Probably won't be very long either.

[chowder66]

30. I agree.

[demmiblue]

16. "Best birthday gift ever," he told everyone in the courtroom, according to @SarahRahal_

Link to tweet

[Ace Rothstein]

17. This is why they are letting so many plead for the Jan 6th criminals.

[lagomorph777]

21. This is incredibly dangerous.

Shit.

[demmiblue]

22. Statement by Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer's office:

[Deep State Witch]

25. This is Some BS!

This is some BS! WTF happened? MAGAT jurors?

[OneCrazyDiamond]

27. This will embolden Fascism in our nation.

[demmiblue]

28. Whitmer kidnap plot trial: What we know about jurors deciding historic verdict

The fate of four men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan's governor rests in the hands of six men and six women — many of them from Up North, all of them white.

The names of the jurors were kept confidential to protect their privacy, and they were assigned numbers instead. The Free Press covered the daylong jury selection process, which ended with 18 people getting picked, including six alternates who didn't know they were alternates and listened to the whole trial. Of the 18, four own guns.

Here is a look at many who made the final cut to decide this historic case about a group of militia members who allegedly plotted to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer out of anger over her COVID-19 restrictions.

The jurors were picked from a pool of more than 200 individuals from western and northern Michigan. They were asked about their views on multiple issues, including gun rights, militias, law enforcement, face masks, COVID-19 restrictions, even emojis — which the defendants were fond of, according to trial testimony. Those with strong political views were dismissed.

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2022/04/06/whitmer-kidnap-plot-jury-deliberations-verdict/9482699002/

[NQAS]

29. These buffoons will show up in the legal system again

After all, they got away with it. That's pretty heady stuff. They won't be able to resist committing similar crimes again.

[MichMan]

32. They still had to spend 18 months in jail awaiting trial before the acquittal

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

33. Just saw this now.

Utterly depressing.

[raccoon]

34. Reminds me of the trial of those who murdered Emmett Till.

The jurors thought exactly the way the perps did so no way they were going to find them guilty.