Jury heard about a plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer. A prosecutor told jurors on Wednesday that two anti-government extremists wanted to start a “second American revolution.” That is, by kidnapping Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The government was trying for the second time to get convictions. This is part of an alleged plot to shock the country into chaos before the 2020 election.
Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. are currently facing another trial. This is four months after a first trial in which a jury was unable to reach a decision while acquitting two other individuals.
The jury is going to listen to rival arguments. The prosecutors want to show that a group of insurgents were serious about kidnapping the Democratic governor. That is, by showing covertly recorded conversations, videos, text messages and posts on social media.
The defense counsel is adamant that there was no true plot. They will try to disprove what the informants and undercover FBI agents who went into the group to build the investigation were trying to do.
Croft, 46, is originally from Bear, Delaware, and Fox, 39, used to reside in the Grand Rapids. That is, the area behind a vacuum shop. They stayed in touch with a network of other radicals who were angry with Whitmer. This rage stretch to other public officials for putting limits on COVID-19.
Jury heard about a plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer
However, Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher O’Connor says that the seeds were planted a long time before the pandemic.
Fox and Croft “called for a second American revolution,” O’Connor told the jury. This is before planning and training to abduct the governor of Michigan. “They planned and prepared to abduct the governor of Michigan.” They thought that the people who were elected to run the government were dictators who violated their rights all the time. That’s why they planned to use violence to overthrow the government and take power for themselves.
The prosecutor explained that Barry Croft had the belief that all it would take to spark a revolution would be to hang a governor. “At the beginning of the year 2020, it was a rallying cry. His vow to the elected leaders of the government, who are the tyrants, is: “expect us.”
Christopher Gibbons, an attorney for Fox, said before the jury on many occasions that the government had prosecuted “loud talkers.”
“Adam Fox is a citizen of the United States. It’s possible that he’s not the best among us. ” “I don’t think he’s the worst of us,” Gibbons remarked about the other person. However, just like the rest of us, he is entitled to his own views. He has every right to be furious and dissatisfied despite the fact that he is homeless and living in poverty in the Vac Shack in the midst of the pandemic. It’s not pretty, but it’s not illegal either. “
Conspiracy Claim
The charges against Fox and Croft include two separate counts of conspiracy. Croft is now being charged with a third offense linked to firearms.
After undergoing training in both Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as making two trips to Whitmer’s second house in northern Michigan, the scheme to abduct her was hatched.
In his remarks to the jury, defense attorney Joshua Blanchard reiterated an argument that he had vigorously made in the first trial. Blanchard accused the FBI of targeting Croft and pulling him in because of the fact that he had encouraged violence and protested. Croft was a defendant in the first trial.
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The Blanchard Audio Clip
Blanchard produced an audio clip of an agent advising an informant with the phrase “Don’t let the facts get in the way of a good tale,” which is a saying that is popular in the agent’s office.
He did not provide the jury with any background to go along with the sound bite.
“Barry has been sitting in a prison cell for the past 672 days waiting for you to remind the FBI that the facts do matter. This is all because they were unwilling to let the facts get in the way of the wonderful tale they wanted to make… Blanchard said that the way to achieve this goal was to say that the person was not guilty.
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In April, the jury decided that Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta were not responsible for the crime. Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks have both entered guilty pleas and agreed to testify for the prosecution again.
Whitmer has pointed the finger of blame at former President Donald Trump, saying that he stirred up mistrust and anger over restrictions on the coronavirus and refused to condemn hate groups and right-wing extremists like those who were involved in the plan.