Defendants are arguing that they were entrapped. And Chambers and Impola, through multiple paid informants and undercover agents, were directing the action. And badgering the alleged conspirators in order to incriminate them.
Other defendants seek dismissal
Eight other men face trial in Michigan state court on related charges. A hearing is scheduled for Monday in Jackson County court to hear entrapment claims from three of them.
In a separate filing Friday, defense attorneys ask permission from the court to use the evidence they believe helps establish entrapment.
They cite 258 different snippets of phone conversations, covert recordings, texts, encrypted messages, and Facebook chats gathered by the government.
Much of that material would be hard to get into court without calling the defendants themselves to testify, something that’s rare in criminal cases because they would face cross-examination from the government.
For example, Chambers sent a text to his informant on Sept. 5, 2020. The FBI agent was encouraging the group of suspects with, “Mission is to kill the governor specifically.”
