(Source: MIRS.news, Published 10/11/2022) Attorneys for three men accused of supporting the kidnapping plot against the Governor questioned an FBI agent Tuesday, trying to establish whether the state's evidence, including memes, is illegal.
The prosecution alleges the defendants Paul Bellar, Pete Musico and Joseph Morrison trained Adam FOX, who was convicted in federal court of conspiring to kidnap Whitmer.
"These guys did not kidnap the governor," testified FBI Special Agent Henrik Impeller on cross examination.
Bellar, Musico and Morrison are charged with providing material support to an act of terrorism, gang membership and felony firearms. They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted as charged.
The trial resumes Wednesday with Impola returning to the witness stand for continued cross examination by Bellar's attorney.
That training occurred, in part, on Morrison's Munith property, and his attorney, Leonard BALLARD, questioned how social media postings, including memes of a graveyard, and a schematic of a firearm, led Impola to open an investigation of his client, who is a member of the Wolverine Watchmen.
Initially, Impola replied that the investigation was open due to "threats of violence against law enforcement officers" as well as discussions about using explosives and a machine gun. But as Ballard continued to push and repeated the questions, Impola clarified that the investigation wasn't opened until after a confidential informant known as "Big Dan" was tasked to attend a training session and "came back with specific threats of violence."
Ballard also elicited Impola's acknowledgement that it was not illegal for the defendants to possess propaganda and that their protests, including at the State Capitol in 2020, did not violate the law.
Impola has been on the stand for five days, with the first four spent testifying about exhibits, including social media posts and secret FBI recordings, introduced by the Attorney General's office.
Andrew Kirkpatrick, who represents Bellar, started today by renewing his request to share with jurors that two federal defendants were acquitted of conspiring to kidnap Whitmer, but the judge did not budge from his prior ruling that it is not allowed.
Kirkpatrick's cross examination of Impola went on the offensive immediately as he asked whether Bellar had committed violence, assaulted an officer or broke a law prior to leaving Michigan for South Carolina.
Impola replied that he had not, but he could not speak to Bellar's intent.
Kirkpatrick also questioned Impola about Bellar's comment that he would Molotov Whitmer's home after learning her pandemic orders would shutter his girlfriend's family's business and Impola acknowledges that he had no personal knowledge or evidence that Bellar made such a device.
Kirkpatrick asked whether Impola considered it offensive that Bellar said he would protect a private citizen from an officer's gun.
"All I know is you're killing people and you're intending to kill people. . . it seems offensive to me," Impola replied.
