Ryan Routh, the person accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump final 12 months at his South Florida golf course, is ready to go on trial in federal courtroom on Sept. 8.
In September 2024, Routh, 59, allegedly entered the grounds of Trump Worldwide Golf Membership in West Palm Seaside, Florida, armed with a semiautomatic rifle. Prosecutors allege that Routh pointed the rifle barrel at a U.S. Secret Service agent whereas concentrating on Trump, who was then the Republican presidential candidate.
Routh has pleaded not responsible to a number of costs, together with making an attempt to assassinate a serious presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and a number of firearm violations.
Right here’s what to know in regards to the trial of the suspect within the second Trump assassination try, set to start on Sept. 8.
Routh Will Symbolize Himself
U.S. District Decide Aileen Cannon, the identical choose who presided over and tossed out Trump’s categorized paperwork case final 12 months, can be dealing with Routh’s case in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Cannon accredited Routh’s request to signify himself at trial throughout a listening to in July.
Routh requested to signify himself at trial in a June 29 letter to Cannon, claiming that he and his legal professionals are “a million miles apart” and that they refused to reply his questions. He additionally floated the thought of being utilized in a prisoner alternate with Iran, China, North Korea, or Russia.
“I could die being of some use and save all this court mess, but no one acts; perhaps you have the power to trade me away,” Routh wrote.
The suspect’s protection counsel, together with lawyer Kristy Militello, filed a movement on July 23 to terminate illustration, saying her “attorney-client relationship” with Routh was “irreconcilably broken.”
Cannon informed the protection attorneys that they have to stay as standby counsel.
Routh Given Clear Directions on Courtroom Conduct
Throughout a listening to on Sept. 2, Cannon informed Routh that he can’t make any sudden actions whereas representing himself at trial. Whereas he shall be allowed to make use of a podium whereas questioning witnesses or talking to the jury, he is not going to have free rein within the courtroom, Cannon mentioned.
“If you make any sudden movements, marshals will take decisive and quick action to respond,” Cannon mentioned.
The choose additionally mentioned that Routh shall be wearing skilled enterprise apparel at some stage in the trial.
Week one of many trial will start with jury choice, which is anticipated to final three days, throughout which attorneys will query three units of 60 potential jurors. Twelve jurors and 4 alternates have to be discovered earlier than the trial begins. Opening statements will start on Sept. 11, with prosecutors slated to begin presenting their proof afterward.
Whereas the courtroom has designated 4 weeks for the trial, attorneys count on it to finish sooner.
Protection, Prosecution Plans for Trial
In a courtroom submitting forward of a Sept. 2 listening to, Routh mentioned he wished to subpoena Trump himself, whereas suggesting a “beatdown session would be more fun and entertaining for everyone.” He additionally used a listing of insults for Trump, calling the president a “baboon.”
Routh requested Cannon subpoena “every single person that had something negative to say about Ryan Routh” in one other submitting on the identical day.
“Please put them on the stand under oath and lets see who lies, themor [sic] the FBI,” Routh wrote.
In response, Cannon denied Routh’s new witness requests after approving 4 beforehand, and mentioned nothing the defendant has written suggests a “subpoena to President Trump would be relevant or necessary to prepare an adequate defense.” Routh additionally tried to subpoena a former lover, alleging her romantic expertise with him “evidences his purported peacefulness, gentleness, and nonviolence.”
Cannon referred to the request as a “farce to bring about obviously ludicrous and absurd results in a court proceeding.”
The choose on Sept. 2 additionally unsealed the prosecution’s 33-page record of reveals, which can be launched as proof throughout Routh’s trial. The record says that prosecutors possess photographs of Routh holding the identical mannequin of semiautomatic rifle that was discovered at Trump’s golf membership in September 2024, when the assassination try occurred.
The record additionally comprises digital messages despatched from a cellphone that regulation enforcement present in Routh’s automotive on the day of the try. In one which was dated two months previous to his arrest, Routh allegedly requests a “missile launcher.” The doc additionally accuses Routh of sending a message in August 2024 in search of “help ensuring that [Trump] does not get elected.”
In that message, Routh allegedly supplied to pay an unnamed particular person to trace the situation of Trump’s airplane with flight monitoring apps.
The exhibit record additionally references a message about an digital “chat about sniper concealment” through the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and web searches for a way lengthy gunpowder sticks to clothes and for responses by the U.S. Secret Service to assassination plots.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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