One of four men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has testified in his own defence and denied any role in a wild conspiracy to get her before the 2020 election.
Daniel Harris repeatedly said “absolutely not” when asked by his lawyer if he agreed to abduct Ms Whitmer.
Harris, Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr, and Brandon Caserta are accused of plotting to kidnap the Democratic governor at her holiday home in northern Michigan in the autumn of 2020 because of their disgust with government and tough Covid-19 restrictions.
Prosecutors ended their side of the case on Wednesday, the 13th day of trial. Jurors have seen and heard audio and video secretly recorded by FBI agents and informants as well as violent, profanity-filled posts from social media and messaging apps.
In addition, two men who were in the group, Ty Garbin and Kaleb Franks, pleaded guilty and were vital witnesses for the government.
Defence attorneys claim the men were engaged in a lot of crazy talk fuelled by agents and informants but no conspiracy.
The first defence witness, Colleen Kuester of Baraboo, Wisconsin, said she was invited by an acquaintance to a “family fun day” in Cambria, Wisconsin, in July 2020. Cambria was a training site for the group and other self-styled militia members, according to evidence.
Ms Kuester said she found nothing sinister — just swimming, target shooting and bratwursts. But Assistant US Attorney Jonathan Roth played secretly recorded audio of men talking about making bombs.
At least five other defence witnesses bowed out on Wednesday, saying they would assert their right to remain silent if called to testify.
Croft’s long-time companion, Chastity Knight, of Bear, Delaware, was among the final witnesses called by prosecutors.
“He was anti-government,” Ms Knight said of Croft. “He just thought the government’s not for him. The government doesn’t help the people out. They like to line their own pockets.”
The men were arrested in October 2020 amid talk of obtaining an explosive that could blow up a bridge and hold back police from responding to a kidnapping at Ms Whitmer’s second home, according to trial testimony.
Mr Garbin said the group acted willingly and had hoped to strike before the election, cause national chaos and prevent Joe Biden from winning the presidency.
Ms Whitmer, a Democrat, rarely talks publicly about the kidnapping plot, although she referred to “surprises” during her term that seemed like “something out of fiction” when she filed for re-election on March 17.
She has blamed former President Donald Trump for fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn right-wing extremists like those charged in the case. She has also said Mr Trump was complicit in the Capitol riot.
