In a recent development, a Michigan judge has expressed concern over the transfer of two convicts involved in the plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer to federal prisons located out of state.
Paul Bellar and Joe Morrison, convicted for providing material support for a terrorist act, among other charges, have been moved to federal prisons in Pennsylvania and Illinois respectively, according to the Associated Press.
The pair, who were sentenced to seven and ten years in prison respectively, were not directly involved in the kidnapping plot but were associated with the plot's leader, Adam Fox, through gun training sessions. The relocation of the convicts has raised concerns among their lawyers, who claim that the distance has made it increasingly challenging to work with their clients.
Another defendant in the case, Pete Musico, who was part of the same paramilitary group but has not formally challenged his placement, was transferred to West Virginia and sentenced to a minimum of 12 years in prison. The Associated Press pointed out that a federal prison is located in Milan, Michigan.
Assistant Attorney General John Pallas reportedly stated that he was unaware of the specific reasons for the out-of-state transfer of the three men, citing "general safety concerns" as a possible explanation. "Without that information, it feels like were flying blind," remarked Judge Thomas Wilson, who presided over the 2022 Jackson County trial of the three men.
Michael Faraone, Morrison's representative, described the transfer as "mind-boggling" and "appalling," questioning the legal authority behind the Michigan Department of Corrections' decision to move his client. "Whatever we may say about this case, however we may feel about it, I think we can agree were not dealing with al-Qaida," Faraone stated in a recent court session.
Appellate lawyer Ron Ambrose reported difficulties in communicating with Bellar, as trial transcripts mailed to him had been returned. Kyle Kaminski, a spokesman for the Corrections Department, revealed that the state pays approximately $100 per day to the federal government for each prisoner, amounting to an annual cost of around $110,000 for the three men.
Pallas has committed to assisting the lawyers in reestablishing communication with their clients. However, a hearing has been scheduled for December 1 to obtain further information and updates on the situation.
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