Witness: ‘No question’ defendants knew of plot to kidnap Whitmer

A man who pleaded guilty in the scheme to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) told jurors on Wednesday there was “no question” that the four defendants in the case knew the plot was a kidnapping.

“There was no question in your mind that everybody knew?” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler asked defendant Ty Garbin, according to The Associated Press.

“No question,” Garbin replied, noting that the explicit goal of the scheme was to “to kidnap the governor.”

Garbin, an airplane mechanic, also described practice efforts to build a “shoot house” of wood, tarps and other materials to simulate the plan in advance of the attempted kidnapping at the governor’s weekend home, the AP reported.

“I was kind of ballparking it,” the 26-year-old said of the practice set up. “Every house had a front door. Every house had a living room. Every house had a hallway. Every house had a back door.”

The trial includes four men — Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta — charged with conspiracy. It began earlier this month. 

The defense has argued that there were not concrete, defined plans for the attack.

“There was no plan. There was no agreement. There was no conspiracy to kidnap the governor of Michigan or any other governor,” attorney Joshua Blanchard previously said.

Garbin, who has admitted he was prepared to kidnap the governor in response to her COVID-19 policies, is a key witness for the prosecution.

After the group was arrested in October 2020, Garbin started to cooperate with prosecutors. He also testified to a grand jury and received a six-year prison sentence, which could be reduced after trial, the AP added.

The men on trial could all serve up to life in prison for their involvement in the scheme.