2 defendants acquitted in Michigan governor kidnapping case; mistrial declared for 2 others

[Moon]

(CNN) - A federal jury on Friday found two men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer not guilty of kidnapping conspiracy and a mistrial was declared for two other defendants.

Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta faced federal charges for allegedly conspiring to kidnap the Democratic governor.

Harris and Caserta were found not guilty of kidnapping conspiracy. The jury also found Harris not guilty on other charges. The jury could not reach a verdict for Fox and Croft, after which US District Judge Robert Jonker declared a mistrial for those defendants.


https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/08/politics/whitmer-trial/index.html


That was unexpected. It will be interesting to see the analysis of the verdicts.

 

[CaughtInThe]

Holy shit

 

[Luce]

Hardly surprising, really. If they're in the same venue, the odds of getting a few right wing lunatics on the jury pretty much approach unity.

 

[element94]

Does the mistrial for the two mean a new trial is coming?

 

[Moon]

Does the mistrial for the two mean a new trial is coming?

It’s possible, depends on if the prosecution is willing to retry them.

 

[CaughtInThe]

Does the mistrial for the two mean a new trial is coming?

That would be the district attorney's decision.

I didn't sleep at a holiday inn express. I watch law and order.

 

[SuperDS77]

Hardly surprising, really. If they're in the same venue, the odds of getting a few right wing lunatics on the jury pretty much approach unity.

There is the possibility that they did not do what the government accused them of, right?

There may have been one left wing lunatic holding this up for the past 5 days. Truth is, we do not know either way.

 

[SenorXm/Sirius]

Yeah the far right Trumpsters will celebrate this... Nothing screams democracy more than threatening to kill elected officials because you don't agree with them...

The Republican party is fascists... No argument anymore..

 

[Plasmaball]

There is the possibility that they did not do what the government accused them of, right?

There may have been one left wing lunatic holding this up for the past 5 days. Truth is, we do not know either way.

Really? Couldn't just wait for more details before jumping off into crazy land

 

[Lovebug]

Really? Couldn't just wait for more details before jumping off into crazy land

See post #3.

 

[Plasmaball]

See post #3.

Same deal

 

[EMNofSeattle]

It’s possible, depends on if the prosecution is willing to retry them.

The biggest factor in that will be how the deadlock went, if more then four jurors were set on acquitting I doubt a new trial will come.

I don’t feel sorry for the guys who plead guilty to turn states evidence though. To heck with those guys, if they went to trial they’d be walking away without convictions too

 

[Cardinal]

(CNN) - A federal jury on Friday found two men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer not guilty of kidnapping conspiracy and a mistrial was declared for two other defendants.

Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta faced federal charges for allegedly conspiring to kidnap the Democratic governor.

Harris and Caserta were found not guilty of kidnapping conspiracy. The jury also found Harris not guilty on other charges. The jury could not reach a verdict for Fox and Croft, after which US District Judge Robert Jonker declared a mistrial for those defendants.


https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/08/politics/whitmer-trial/index.html


That was unexpected. It will be interesting to see the analysis of the verdicts.

That...is extraordinary. But get just one q-anon, trump supporter, antimasker or antivaxxer on the jury and that's end game.

 

[Moon]

That...is extraordinary. But get just one q-anon, trump supporter, antimasker or antivaxxer on the jury and that's end game.

For a mistrial, but not the acquittals.

 

[Cardinal]

For a mistrial, but not the acquittals.

Then get nearly all q-anons, trump supporters, antimaskers or antivaxxers on the jury and that's end game.

 

[Moon]

Then get nearly all q-anons, trump supporters, antimaskers or antivaxxers on the jury and that's end game.

I didn’t follow the trial, but isn’t it possible the government’s case was bad and failed to prove they were guilty?

 

[Cardinal]

I didn’t follow the trial, but isn’t it possible the government’s case was bad and failed to prove they were guilty?

Of course it's possible. But that would have to be the worst prosecution on earth, which is not to say that those don't exist. Those of us watched the Derek Chauvin trial knew that it was the prosecution's to lose, and there was a famous point in the trial where they came *this close* to potentially screwing it all up. But there was always the potential for biased jurors, and it's incredibly difficult to think that wasn't the case here.

 

[jmotivator]

Holy shit

Tried to warn you all. The case stunk on ice.

 

[CaughtInThe]

Tried to warn you all. The case stunk on ice.

Which doesn't mean they are innocent and doesn't mean they didn't plan on kidnapping the woman and her family.

 

[Lutherf]

(CNN) - A federal jury on Friday found two men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer not guilty of kidnapping conspiracy and a mistrial was declared for two other defendants.

Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta faced federal charges for allegedly conspiring to kidnap the Democratic governor.

Harris and Caserta were found not guilty of kidnapping conspiracy. The jury also found Harris not guilty on other charges. The jury could not reach a verdict for Fox and Croft, after which US District Judge Robert Jonker declared a mistrial for those defendants.


https://www.cnn.com/2022/04/08/politics/whitmer-trial/index.html


That was unexpected. It will be interesting to see the analysis of the verdicts.

If you were following the situation it turns out that the FBI instigated the whole kidnapping scheme. It was a case of entrapment as much as anything else.

 

[jmotivator]

Of course it's possible. But that would have to be the worst prosecution on earth, which is not to say that those don't exist. Those of us watched the Derek Chauvin trial knew that it was the prosecution's to lose, and there was a famous point in the trial where they came *this close* to potentially screwing it all up. But there was always the potential for biased jurors, and it's incredibly difficult to think that wasn't the case here.

The prosecutions biggest mistake was bringing the case to trial. The central figures driving the plot were mostly feds and informants, and the testimony was full of things like the feds pressuring the defendents to contact friends to get them on board, and paying for travel for them to come to Michigan.

For the acquitals you would need bias on the part of all jurors.

Law Enforcement can overstep and corrupt the justice system even when you don't like the politics of their targets. Shocking, I know...

 

[Moon]

If you were following the situation it turns out that the FBI instigated the whole kidnapping scheme. It was a case of entrapment as much as anything else.

I didn’t follow the trial very closely, but I was aware of the entrapment accusations.

 

[Chillfolks]

It sounds like the FBI and the informant had a little bit more to do with the planning and preparation than was first reported. Just another exaggerated media fabricated story that is unraveling.

 

[AliHajiSheik]

Hardly surprising, really. If they're in the same venue, the odds of getting a few right wing lunatics on the jury pretty much approach unity.

This is a Federal Judicial District, the Western District of Michigan which includes the cities of Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, and Marquette.

 

[jmotivator]

Which doesn't mean they are innocent and doesn't mean they didn't plan on kidnapping the woman and her family.

I know you are grasping at maintaining the leftist narrative on this story... but clearly you are just wrong.

In any case, they are all innocent until proven guilty. Two have been acquiited outright and two had a mistrial ... so they remain innocent until proven otherwise.

Apparently the FBI is guilty of planning that kidnapping.