Photo: JIM WATSON / AFP via Getty
April 11, 2022 ~ A federal jury acquitted two of the men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, and a mistrial was declared for the other two defendants.
The indictment stated that six men charged in the case planned to “unlawfully seize, kidnap, abduct and carry away, (Whitmer) and hold for ransom and reward.”
The defense stood on claims that federal agents developed the conspiracy, and coaxed individuals into crimes they otherwise would not have attempted.
“The result does not mean that it is okay to threaten public officials, that it is okay to commit violence against Governor Whitmer, that’s not what the jury said … Now we are going to wait and see what happens when the government retries this case,” said former US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan Matthew Schneider on 760 WJR.
Hear Matthew Schneider give his thoughts to 760 WJR’s Tom Jordan, Kevin Dietz, and Paul W. Smith below.
PODCASTS:
April 11, 2022 ~ Matthew Schneider recaps the verdict in the Governor Whitmer kidnapping trail with Kevin and Tom.
April 11, 2022 ~ A Grand Rapids federal court jury found two men not guilty in the Whitmer kidnap case and they were unable to reach verdicts on two others. Paul W. talks to former US Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan and Honigman Attorney Matthew Schneider to get his thoughts on what happened with the case.
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