GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Ty Garbin is testifying on day eight of the trial of four men accused of plotting to kidnap and kill Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
Garbin was a member of the Wolverine Watchmen militia group and was originally charged in the case but ended up taking a plea deal. Garbin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and is serving six years in prison.
Wednesday, he took the stand to testify against his former co-defendants.
Attorneys for Brandon Caserta, Daniel Harris, Adam Fox and Barry Croft have been focusing on the argument that anything potentially criminal they were involved with was because they were entrapped into it by undercover federal agents. Prosecutors deny claims that their people on the ground acted beyond their legal scope.
Wednesday in court, Garbin said he and the men on trial would constantly meet, whether that was at a local vacuum repair shop in Grand Rapids or for other training exercises in the summer of 2020.
Garbin says the group did not agree to Governor Whitmer's COVID-19 restrictions and they trained to take out anyone who may have tried to stop the kidnapping plot, including law enforcement.
Garbin told prosecutors that there was “no question” in his mind that everyone was clear that the plan was to kidnap the governor.
He said the group “wanted to cause as much disruption as possible to prevent Joe Biden from getting into office.”
