‘Glad he’s home,’ family of cleared Whitmer plot suspect says

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — As she walked briskly from a Grand Rapids federal court smiling and surrounding by teeming media, a relative of Brandon Caserta mentioned that Friday was his birthday.

She had two reasons to celebrate — the birthday and the acquittal of Caserta on a charge of conspiracy to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The woman, who seemed like she mostly was trying to escape the media frenzy, offered brief comment as she headed toward a nearby parking garage.

“We’re glad he’s home,” she said.

Family of Caserta, of Canton, and 24-year-old Daniel Harris, of Lake Orion, both voiced satisfaction following the month-long trial.

None of four suspects on trial were convicted. The jury could not reach verdicts for 46-year-old Barry Croft of Delaware and 38-year-old Adam Fox of Grand Rapids. A mistrial was declared in their cases.

The jury deliberated nearly five full days before reaching the conclusion.

The four were among 14 charged in state and federal courts for the 2020 alleged conspiracy to kidnap Whitmer from her lakefront house in Antrim County’s Elk Rapids.

Michael Hills, the attorney for Caserta, said his client was released from custody Friday afternoon and was “just enjoying a walk down a sidewalk right now.” He also described the verdict as “the best birthday present imaginable.”

Outside the courthouse, a reporter asked Caserta’s relative about him being locked up in jail since October 2020 for something a jury concluded he did not do.

“Pretty sad, huh?” she replied.

Family of Harris also left the courtroom quickly. His mother repeated “no, nope” to repeated media requests for comment.

But at one point, a reporter asked “Are you happy about the verdict?”

Harris’ father, Rob, replied: “Don’t overstate the obvious.”

[embedded content]