A Michigan jury acquitted three men on Friday of state charges related to the plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020, capping multiple legal proceedings that centered on right-wing extremism and the dangers facing the country’s political leaders.

The not-guilty verdicts were read out in a northern Michigan courtroom following a two-week trial involving Eric Molitor and twin brothers William Null and Michael Null, all of whom faced charges of providing material support for a terrorist act and illegally possessing firearms. When the verdict was announced, people in the courtroom gasped while the three men cried and hugged supporters, the Associated Press reported.

During the trial, state prosecutors had argued that Molitor and the Null brothers had participated in military-style drills and cased Whitmer’s vacation property in Antrim County in northern Michigan. The plot, which FBI informants helped disrupt, involved plans to capture Whitmer (D) at the home, detonate a bridge and ignite an armed rebellion ahead of the 2020 presidential election.

But attorneys for Molitor, 39, and the Null brothers, 41, argued that the men did not actively take part in the plot and did not consider it to be a serious threat to Whitmer. Molitor and William Null both testified in their defense, and Null told jurors he wished he had called police when he overheard others talking about acquiring explosives.

“It seemed to be getting serious,” William Null testified, according to the Huron Daily Tribune. “I don’t know if they were ever going to go through with it, but it was enough for me to not want to be involved.”

The acquittals follow several earlier trials where defendants were convicted of their roles in the kidnapping plot. Several of the defendants were members of Wolverine Watchmen, a far-right paramilitary group. At the time, the members of the antigovernmental group were upset that Whitmer had endorsed preventive measures to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Whitmer’s office did not immediately respond to the verdict. But in a statement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) said she was disappointed by the jury’s decision. But Nessel noted that five other defendants were convicted or pleaded guilty on state charges related to the plot. The five men are serving up to a combined 131 years in prison.

“While today’s verdicts are not what we hoped for, the successes we have achieved throughout these cases, in both state and federal courts, sends a clear message that acts of domestic terrorism will not be tolerated in our state,” said Nessel.

In December, a Michigan judge sentenced three men to prison terms ranging from seven years to up to 42 years after they were convicted of providing material support for a terrorist act and weapons charges related to the plot. Two other men pleaded guilty to providing material support for a terrorist attack, with one facing up to five years in prison and the other receiving a sentence of 5 to 20 years.

Six other defendants faced federal charges related to the plot.