The men were charged in a conspiracy that prosecutors say was inspired by their strong opposition to the pandemic-related restrictions imposed by Whitmer’s office and faced charges such as conspiracy to kidnap and use a weapon of mass destruction. The prosecution, which said the men belonged to self-proclaimed militia groups, accused them of plotting to invade Whitmer’s cottage, deter her and try her for treason. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register The abduction, the defendants hoped, would force the termination of Whitmer’s mandate for the pandemic, while pushing the country – highly polarized ahead of the 2020 election – into a second US civil war, the prosecution said. But the prosecution failed to convince jurors in federal court in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The 12-member panel found Brandon Caserta and Daniel Harris not guilty of any charges. The jury could not agree on a verdict for Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. The jury’s decision was a setback for federal prosecutors in one of the highest cases in recent years involving domestic terrorism charges and militias. “Obviously we are disappointed with the result,” Andrew Birge, the U.S. attorney general for western Michigan, told reporters outside the court. Birge did not immediately answer questions about whether he intended to try Fox and Croft again. However, in a written statement, he hinted that he would do so, saying: “Two defendants are now awaiting retrial and, for this reason, we have no further statement at this time.” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, USA, September 16, 2021. REUTERS / Rebecca Cook // File Photo read more Caserta’s defense attorney, Mike Hills, told Reuters by telephone that the governor’s abduction plot was “an FBI fabrication.” “They (the FBI) created the appearance of a conspiracy that never existed,” Hills said. He added that Caserta was drawn into the case “by the FBI’s robbery” as they tried to give credibility to the case by trapping more people in it. The FBI did not respond to a request for comment. Defense attorneys for the other defendants did not respond to requests for comment. At trial, the defense claimed that the government had used FBI informants and undercover agents to encourage online discussions about the alleged conspiracy, hoping to trap the accused in alleged crimes because of their political views, they said. The case is one of the highest-profile persecutions of members of right-wing groups since the ouster of former President Donald Trump in 2016. It also highlights the extent to which the pandemic and government efforts to control it have become a wedge USA. The acquittals come despite key testimonies from Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks, two others accused of plotting before consulting with prosecutors. Garbin is currently serving a six-year sentence, while Franks is awaiting sentencing. The four on trial are among 13 men arrested in October 2020 and charged with state or federal crimes in connection with the alleged kidnapping conspiracy. Seven of them are facing charges in state court. The FBI said it began monitoring the group’s movements after seeing online discussions involving publications about the violent overthrow of some state governments. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Additional references by Brad Brooks in Lubbock, Texas and Brendan O’Brien in Chicago. Editing by Mark Porter, Howard Goller and Aurora Ellis Our role models: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
