Michigan Court Reverses Conviction in Whitmer Kidnapping Case
WHO:
ClickOnDetroit - Joseph Morrison, a Jackson County man, was involved in the plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
CBS News - Other individuals involved include Pete Musico, Paul Bellar, Adam Fox, and Barry Croft Jr.
CBS News - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel responded to the court ruling.
WHAT:
ClickOnDetroit - The Michigan Court of Appeals stated that “the charge of kidnapping cannot properly form the basis for [the] defendant’s conviction.”
CBS News - The court's ruling was a 3-0 decision, confirming that kidnapping is not an underlying violent felony that supports a conviction under the state's terrorism law.
ABC News - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel described the court's ruling as a "preposterous decision" and stated, "This ruling is completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous and irresponsible."
ClickOnDetroit - The Michigan Court of Appeals stated that the jury instructions provided by the trial court tainted the verdict, requiring reversal of the conviction.
ClickOnDetroit - The court's opinion noted that the verdict form asked only whether Morrison was guilty of "Providing Material Support for an Act of Terrorism," making it unclear if the jury based its conviction on kidnapping or other offenses.
CBS News - Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel described the court's ruling as "completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous and irresponsible," and announced her intention to appeal the decision.
ClickOnDetroit - The Michigan Court of Appeals unanimously overturned Morrison's conviction related to the kidnapping plot.
ClickOnDetroit - Morrison was previously sentenced to 4-20 years in prison for providing material support for terrorist acts, gang membership, and felony firearm charges.
CBS News - The court ruled that kidnapping is not a violent felony that supports a conviction under the state's terrorism law.
CBS News - The court's ruling was a 3-0 decision.
CBS News - Nessel stated that the evidence presented at trial proved a coordinated plan to kidnap and murder the Governor.
WHERE:
ClickOnDetroit - The events took place in Jackson County, Michigan.
CBS News - The plot involved gun drills held in Jackson County.
WHEN:
ClickOnDetroit - Morrison was convicted on October 26, 2022.
CBS News - The court's ruling occurred on a Tuesday, with the specific date being June 9, 2026.
CBS News - The overall investigation led to 14 arrests in October 2020.
CBS News - In September 2023, a jury acquitted three men, the last of 14 men to face charges.
WHY:
ClickOnDetroit - The court found that the jury instructions provided during the trial tainted the verdict.
CBS News - Nessel criticized the ruling, stating it undermines public safety and the credibility of legal definitions.
HOW:
ABC News - A member of the Wolverine Watchmen group became a confidential informant in March 2020 after discussions about harming law enforcement and public officials.
CBS News - The investigation involved undercover FBI agents and informants who infiltrated the group led by Adam Fox for several months.
CBS News - Undercover FBI agents and informants were involved in the investigation of the kidnapping plot.
(UPDATED June 10, 2026 23:39 UTC)
The Michigan Court of Appeals has ruled in a unanimous decision that the charge of kidnapping cannot serve as the basis for a conviction under the state's terrorism law, stating that it is not an underlying violent felony. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel criticized the ruling as "preposterous," calling it "completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous and irresponsible." This decision follows the involvement of a member of the Wolverine Watchmen group, who became a confidential informant in March 2020 after discussions about harming law enforcement and public officials.
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(UPDATED June 10, 2026 19:51 UTC)
The Michigan Court of Appeals has reversed the conviction of Adam Fox, stating that the jury instructions provided by the trial court tainted the verdict. The court's opinion highlighted that the verdict form only asked whether Morrison was guilty of "Providing Material Support for an Act of Terrorism," leaving it unclear if the jury based its decision on kidnapping or other offenses. In response, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the ruling "completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous and irresponsible," and announced plans to appeal the decision.
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(UPDATED June 10, 2026 17:58 UTC)
In a significant legal development, the Michigan Court of Appeals unanimously overturned Joseph Morrison's conviction related to the plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer, ruling that kidnapping does not qualify as a violent felony under the state's terrorism law. Morrison, who was previously sentenced to four to twenty years in prison for his involvement, was part of a group that included individuals like Pete Musico and Adam Fox, and the court's decision was a 3-0 ruling. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel responded critically, stating that the evidence presented at trial showed a coordinated plan to kidnap and murder the Governor, and she expressed concerns that the ruling undermines public safety and legal credibility.