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U.S. NEWS Saturday 9 april 2022
Whitmer kidnap plot: 2 men acquitted, hung jury for 2 more

By JOHN FLESHER and of political violence."
ED WHITE "The plot to kidnap and kill
Associated Press a governor may seem like
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) an anomaly. But we must
— A jury on Friday acquit- be honest about what it re-
ted two men of all charges ally is: The result of violent,
in a plot to kidnap Michi- divisive rhetoric that is all
gan Gov. Gretchen Whit- too common across our
mer but couldn't reach country," JoAnne Huls said.
verdicts against the two "There must be account-
alleged leaders, a stunning ability and consequences
defeat for the government This combo shows booking photos of, from left, Barry Croft, Daniel Harris, Adam Fox and Brandon for those who commit hei-
after a weekslong trial that Caserta. Associated Press nous crimes. Without ac-
centered on a remarkable countability, extremists will
FBI sting operation just be- moments earlier gasped the presidency. sense," and he pleaded be emboldened."
fore the 2020 election. and cried with joy when Garbin and Kaleb Franks, with jurors to be the "fire- Deliberations resumed ear-
The results were announced the verdicts were read. who also pleaded guilty wall" against the govern- lier Friday with a court em-
a few hours after the jury Their arrests in Michigan in and testified for the govern- ment. ployee handing jurors a
said it was struggling to find 2020 came amid upheav- ment, were among the six Harris was the only defen- large plastic bag contain-
unanimity on all 10 charg- al in the U.S. during a year who were arrested in Octo- dant to testify in his own ing pennies, known as evi-
es. The judge on the fifth that started with pandem- ber 2020 amid talk of raising defense, repeatedly telling dence exhibit 291. The pen-
day of deliberations told ic lockdowns then shifted $4,000 for an explosive to jurors "absolutely not" when nies were requested before
the panel to keep working, to armed Capitol protests blow up a bridge and sty- asked if he had targeted jurors went home Thursday.
but jurors emerged again over COVID-19 restrictions mie any police response to the governor. Pennies taped to a com-
after lunch to say they still ordered by Whitmer and a kidnapping, according "I think what the FBI did is mercial-grade firework
were deadlocked on some other governors. By late to trial testimony. unconscionable," Caserta's were intended to act like
counts. Daniel Harris, 24, May, anger over racial in- Prosecutors said the group attorney, Michael Hills, said shrapnel against Whitmer's
and Brandon Caserta, 33, justice and the killing of was steeped in anti-gov- outside court. "And I think security team, according
were found not guilty of George Floyd by Minne- ernment extremism and the jury just sent them a to the government.
conspiracy. In addition, apolis police erupted into furious over Whitmer's pan- message loud and clear The trial covered 20 days
Harris was acquitted of demonstrations in cities na- demic restrictions. There that these tactics — we're since March 8, including
charges related to explo- tionwide. was evidence of a crudely not going to condone what jury selection, evidence,
sives and a gun. In a Grand Rapids court- built "shoot house" to prac- they've done here." final arguments and jury
The jury could not reach room, during 13 days of tes- tice going in and out of Gibbons said the acquit- deliberations. Croft is from
verdicts for Adam Fox, timony, prosecutors offered her vacation home, and a tals of Harris and Caserta Bear, Delaware, while the
38, and Barry Croft Jr., 46, evidence from undercover night ride by Croft, Fox and demonstrated some serious others are from Michigan.
which means the govern- agents, a crucial informant covert operatives to check shortcomings in the gov- Whitmer, a Democrat, rare-
ment can put them on trial and two men who pleaded the property. ernment's case. ly talks publicly about the
again. "Obviously we're guilty to the plot. Jurors also But defense lawyers por- "We'll be ready for another plot, though she referred to
disappointed with the out- read and heard secretly re- trayed the men as credu- trial. ... We'll eventually get "surprises" during her term
come. ... We have two de- corded conversations, vio- lous weekend warriors what we wanted out of that seemed like "some-
fendants that are awaiting lent social media posts and prone to big, wild talk and this, which is the truth and thing out of fiction" when
trial and we'll get back to chat messages. often stoned on marijuana. the justice I think Adam is she filed for reelection on
work on that," U.S. Attorney Ty Garbin, who pleaded They said agents and infor- entitled to," Gibbons said. March 17.
Andrew Birge said. guilty and is serving a six- mants tricked and cajoled Michigan Lt. Gov. Garlin She has blamed former
Harris and Caserta em- year prison sentence, said the men into targeting the Gilchrist said the "outcome President Donald Trump
braced their lawyers when the plan was to get Whit- governor. is disappointing." Whitmer's for fomenting anger over
U.S. District Judge Robert mer and cause enough During closing arguments a office released a statement coronavirus restrictions and
Jonker said they were free chaos to trigger a civil war week ago, Fox's attorney, from her chief of staff, who refusing to condemn right-
after 18 months in jail await- before the election , keep- Christopher Gibbons, said said Americans are "living wing extremists like those
ing trial. Family members ing Joe Biden from winning the plan was "utter non- through the normalization charged in the case.q

FAA seeks biggest fines yet against 2 unruly passengers

WASHINGTON (AP) — The sengers even after she was Lines flight from Las Vegas
Federal Aviation Adminis- placed in flexible hand- to Atlanta last July.
tration said Friday that it it cuffs. The incident hap- Neither person was iden-
seeking the largest fines yet pened on an American Air- tified. They have 30 days
for passengers who disrupt lines flight last July. The FAA to respond to the accusa-
flights after two incidents said the passenger was tions. The FAA said the fines
that occurred on airliners arrested when the plane are part of roughly $2 mil-
last summer. landed in Charlotte, North lion in proposed penalties it
The FAA said it proposed Carolina. has announced since Jan.
a civil penalty of $81,950 The FAA is seeking a $77,272 1. Airlines have reported a
against a passenger who fine against a woman who high number of incidents
struck a flight attendant on tried to open a cabin door since early 2021 — more
the head, tried to open a during a flight and bit an- than 1,000 this year alone
cabin door and headbut- other passenger repeated- — with most of them involv- Travelers move through Salt Lake City International Airport on
ted, spit at and tried to kick ly before she was restrained ing passengers who refuse Aug. 17, 2021, in Salt Lake City.
crew members and pas- by the crew on a Delta Air to wear face masks.q Associated Press