GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WTVB) – After nearly five days of deliberations, a federal jury in Grand Rapids acquitted two of the defendants who were accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Friday while they were unable to reach a decision in the cases involving the other two defendants.
Brandon Caserta and Daniel Harris were found not guilty of all charges.
The jury failed to reach unanimous verdicts against the accused ringleaders Adam Fox and Barry Croft, thus mistrials were declared for those two.
The verdicts were announced at around 2:15 p.m. about three hours after the jury told Judge Robert Jonker they had reached a decision on some of the charges but were deadlocked on the others.
The jury asked the judge what they should do and Jonker recommended they continue to deliberate and try to come to a decision on those issues.
There were nearly 40 witnesses and several hundred pieces of evidence presented during the three week trial.
Harris was the only defendant who testified in his own defense.
While Prosecutors claimed the defendants anger was fueled by Whitmer’s COVID-19 restrictions, the defense countered by saying the men were set up by an FBI informant.
