Militia member accused in Whitmer plot flops on witness stand at his own trial
A Marine Corps veteran who's accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer denied his role in the scheme -- but admitted that he had fantasized about assassinating her.
Daniel Harris testified Thursday in his own defense, claiming that FBI agents and a "double agent" informant actually plotted the conspiracy and entrapped him and other militia members, but one legal expert said his risky move appears to have failed, reported The Daily Beast.
“You never know what a jury is going to do, but I think it was a risky move that will blow up in the defense’s face because Harris was not credible and his testimony was inconsistent with their other arguments,” said former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani.
The 24-year-old Harris repeatedly answered "absolutely not" when asked whether he planned to kidnap Whitmer in October 2020, but Ramani said the Wolverine Watchmen militia member did not appear to refute other witness testimony or recordings played for jurors during the trial.
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“It was also inconsistent with the defense’s entrapment defense," Ramani said. "On one hand, Harris argued that he just created an explosive device to blow up a stove and did not agree to kidnap the governor. On the other hand, his attorneys argued that [an FBI informant] was the ringleader who encouraged Harris to agree to things he had no propensity to do.”
Prosecutors pointed out those inconsistencies and then got Harris to admit that he thought of ways to murder the Democratic governor.
“You proposed doming her? Meaning, shooting her in the head,” said assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Roth.
“Correct,” Harris replied.
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