Juror in Whitmer kidnapping trial dismissed after complaints of flirting

Oct. 15 (UPI) -- A female juror in the trial of three men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has been dismissed after prosecutors complained about her "flirting" with one of the defendants.

Judge Thomas Wilson announced Friday that the young woman would be removed. Attorneys had raised concerns on Wednesday that the woman was having too much non-verbal communication with defendant Paul Bellar.

"It didn't just happen on one day -- it happened over multiple days," Wilson said of the juror's behavior, according to the Jackson, Mich., Citizen Patriot. "I decided it's safer to err on the side of caution."

Wilson said he has never seen such behavior in nearly 35 years of practicing law. The juror took the decision well, he added.

Bellar, 24, is a member of the Wolverine Watchmen, a paramilitary group. He is on trial with co-defendants Joseph Morrison and Pete Musico for allegedly planning to kidnap the governor. They have pleaded not guilty.

Prosecuting Attorney William Rollstin first raised concerns about their contact earlier this week.

"Since the start of the trial ... there's been non-verbal communication between one of the jurors -- a female -- and Mr. Bellar," Rollstin said. "The communication has been in the form of eye contact (and) smiling at each other."

Attorney Kareem Johnson, who represents Musico, objected, saying there was "no verbal communication between the two, and the descriptions of the communication are speculative."