A jury has acquitted three men in the last trial connected to a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. William Null, Michael Null, and Eric Molitor were found not guilty of providing support for a terrorist act and a weapon charge. They were the last of 14 men to face charges in state or federal court, with nine others having been convicted.
The Nulls and Molitor were accused of supporting the leaders of the plan by participating in military-style drills and traveling to see Whitmer’s vacation home in northern Michigan. The key players, Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr., were convicted of a kidnapping conspiracy last year in a different court.
During the trial, the jury heard 14 days of testimony in Antrim County, where Whitmer’s lakeside property is located. Authorities have stated that the attack on Whitmer began to take shape at a regional summit of anti-government extremists in Dublin, Ohio, in the summer of 2020. Recordings, text messages, and social media posts introduced as evidence at trial indicated that the plot was fueled by government-imposed restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Molitor and William Null testified in their own defense, admitting to attending gun drills and visiting Whitmer’s property. However, William Null stated that he and his brother distanced themselves from the plan when talk turned to obtaining explosives. Molitor described Fox as “incredibly dumb” and doubted his ability to carry out a kidnapping.
Assistant Attorney General William Rollstin urged the jurors to consider whether the defendants had helped in any way to plan or prepare for the kidnapping. Michael Null did not testify, and his lawyer chose not to question any witnesses during the trial.
Whitmer was not physically harmed in the foiled plot. Nine men were previously convicted in state or federal court, while two others were acquitted.