Michigan Court Overturns Conviction in Gov. Whitmer Kidnap Plot, Citing Legal Technicality
The Michigan Court of Appeals has overturned the conviction of Joe Morrison, who was found guilty of a secondary role in the 2020 plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Morrison was convicted of providing material support for an act of terrorism, but the court ruled that kidnapping does not qualify as an underlying violent felony under Michigan's terrorism law. Morrison, who has been in prison since 2022, was initially sentenced to a minimum of 10 years, later reduced to six. The decision has sparked outrage from State Attorney General Dana Nessel, who plans to appeal to the Michigan Supreme Court. Morrison, along with two others, was part of a paramilitary group linked to the plot, although they were not directly involved in the kidnapping attempt.