Michigan Court of Appeals Overturns Conviction in 2020 Whitmer Kidnapping Plot Case
The Michigan Court of Appeals unanimously reversed the conviction of Joseph Morrison, a member of the Wolverine Watchmen militia convicted in connection with the 2020 plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The court ruled 3-0 that kidnapping does not qualify as an underlying violent felony under Michigan's terrorism statute. The decision drew fierce criticism from Attorney General Dana Nessel and Whitmer's office, both of whom vowed to fight the ruling and warned it endangers public safety.
On Tuesday, the Michigan Court of Appeals overturned the 2022 conviction of Joseph Morrison, who had been found guilty of providing material support for a terroristic act as a member of the Wolverine Watchmen militia. The court's 3-0 ruling held that kidnapping does not constitute a violent felony for purposes of the state's terrorism law, a legal interpretation that Attorney General Dana Nessel called 'completely and irredeemably nonsensical, outrageous and irresponsible.' Nessel announced her office would appeal the decision. Morrison was among 14 men arrested in October 2020 after an FBI investigation — involving undercover agents and informants embedded in the group for months — broke up the alleged plot to kidnap and kill Whitmer over her COVID-19 restrictions. The ringleaders of the federal case, Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., were convicted and sentenced to 16 years in prison, while the broader prosecution produced mixed results: nine of the 14 men were ultimately convicted and five were cleared. Whitmer's chief of staff, JoAnne Huls, warned that releasing Morrison 'poses a danger to the public' and said the ruling 'invites a culture of fear and violence in Michigan and the country.'
What's missing
Neither source details the specific legal reasoning the appeals court used to conclude that kidnapping does not qualify as a violent felony under Michigan's terrorism statute, nor do they clarify whether Morrison will be released pending appeal.
How coverage differed
Both outlets reported the facts similarly, but ABC News provided additional context about Morrison's specific activities — including his participation in armed protests at the Michigan state capitol and the role of a confidential informant — while CBS News gave more emphasis to the overall scorecard of convictions and acquittals across all 14 defendants.
What different sources said
Related
CIS Study: Non-Citizen Households Use Welfare at Higher Rates Than U.S.-Born Households in Nearly Every State
A new analysis by the Center for Immigration Studies found that 47% of non-citizen-headed households used at least one means-tested welfare program, compared to 28% of U.S.-born-headed households. The study drew on five years of Census Bureau data and found the gap persisted across nearly every state, with the largest disparities in New York, Massachusetts, and California. The findings reignite a long-running debate over immigration and public benefit usage, though the methodology has been contested by other researchers.
Pilot Killed in Small Plane Crash Near Twin Oaks Airpark in Washington County, Oregon
A small two-seater experimental plane crashed into a grassy field near Twin Oaks Airpark in Hillsboro, Oregon on Friday afternoon, killing its sole occupant. The crash occurred during takeoff and sparked a grass fire that spread to a nearby field before firefighters contained it. The NTSB and FAA are investigating the cause, and flights at the airpark were canceled for the remainder of the day.
Ohio Police Chief Arrested in Florida on 70-Count Child Sex Indictment
Bethel Police Chief Chad Essert, 44, was arrested Tuesday night in Seminole, Florida, following a Clermont County grand jury indictment on 56 counts of sexual battery and 14 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. The alleged offenses occurred between 2005 and 2010, when Essert was an instructor with the Young Marines program and a teacher at Scarlet Oaks Career Campus in Sharonville, Ohio. If convicted on all counts, Essert faces a maximum of 280 years in prison, and authorities are urging any additional potential victims to come forward.