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Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(138,192 posts) Tue Jun 9, 2026, 07:52 PM 13 hrs ago

Court throws out conviction of man accused of secondary role in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot

Source: AP

DETROIT (AP) — The Michigan Court of Appeals on Tuesday threw out the conviction of a man who was found guilty of a secondary role in a plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020.

Joe Morrison was convicted of providing material support for an act of terrorism and other charges. In a 3-0 ruling, the appeals court reversed the results on technical grounds, saying kidnapping is not an underlying violent felony that can support a conviction under Michigan's terrorism law.

Morrison, 32, has been in prison since 2022. He was given a minimum sentence of 10 years for three crimes, but the length was subsequently reduced to six years.

State Attorney General Dana Nessel, a Democrat, was livid about the appeals court decision, calling it "completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous and irresponsible," and promised to take the case to the Michigan Supreme Court.

Read more: https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/court-throws-conviction-man-accused-225242573.html

4 replies

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Court throws out conviction of man accused of secondary role in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot (Original Post) Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin 13 hrs ago OP

Gee, I guess throwing a sandwich at a cop is worse than kidnapping. 2MuchNoise 13 hrs ago #1

The defendant wasn't tried for kidnapping MichMan 9 hrs ago #3

The judges were elected by the same voters who also elected Whitmer and Nessel MichMan 9 hrs ago #2

"... kidnapping IS NOT an underlying violent felony?" Grins 8 hrs ago #4

2MuchNoise

(915 posts)

1. Gee, I guess throwing a sandwich at a cop is worse than kidnapping.

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Tue Jun 9, 2026, 08:14 PM

13 hrs ago

MichMan

(17,502 posts)

3. The defendant wasn't tried for kidnapping

Reply to 2MuchNoise (Reply #1)

Wed Jun 10, 2026, 12:30 AM

9 hrs ago

Morrison, Pete Musico and Paul Bellar were not charged with having a direct role in the plot to kidnap Whitmer. But they were members of a paramilitary group that trained with Adam Fox, a key figure who is serving a 16-year prison sentence after being convicted of conspiracy in federal court.

MichMan

(17,502 posts)

2. The judges were elected by the same voters who also elected Whitmer and Nessel

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Wed Jun 10, 2026, 12:27 AM

9 hrs ago

3-0 ruling

AG Nessel hasn't had the greatest success in prosecutions. Nearly all of the defendants in the Flint water crisis had the charges dismissed too.

Grins

(9,562 posts)

4. "... kidnapping IS NOT an underlying violent felony?"

Reply to Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin (Original post)

Wed Jun 10, 2026, 01:33 AM

8 hrs ago

Since Lindbergh it has been a violent felony! Mandatory federal involvement.

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