Ryan Routh, the person accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump final 12 months at his South Florida golf course, is about 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 Seashore, 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 prices, together with trying 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 Signify Himself
U.S. District Decide Aileen Cannon, the identical decide who presided over and tossed out Trump’s labeled paperwork case final 12 months, can be dealing with Routh’s case in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Cannon approved 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 “one million miles aside” and that they refused to reply his questions. He additionally floated the concept of being utilized in a prisoner alternate with Iran, China, North Korea, or Russia.
“I may die being of some use and save all this courtroom mess, however nobody acts; maybe you’ve got the facility to commerce me away,” Routh wrote.
The suspect’s protection counsel, together with legal professional Kristy Militello, filed a movement on July 23 to terminate illustration, saying her “attorney-client relationship” with Routh was “irreconcilably damaged.”
Cannon instructed the protection attorneys that they need to stay as standby counsel.
Routh Given Clear Directions on Courtroom Conduct
Throughout a listening to on Sept. 2, Cannon instructed Routh that he can’t make any sudden actions whereas representing himself at trial. Whereas he will likely be allowed to make use of a podium whereas questioning witnesses or chatting with the jury, he won’t have free rein within the courtroom, Cannon mentioned.
“In the event you make any sudden actions, marshals will take decisive and fast motion to reply,” Cannon mentioned.
The decide additionally mentioned that Routh will likely be wearing skilled enterprise apparel all through the trial.
Week one of many trial will start with jury choice, which is predicted to final three days, throughout which attorneys will query three units of 60 potential jurors. Twelve jurors and 4 alternates should 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 anticipate it to finish sooner.
Protection, Prosecution Plans for Trial
In a court filing forward of a Sept. 2 listening to, Routh mentioned he needed to subpoena Trump himself, whereas suggesting a “beatdown session could be extra enjoyable and entertaining for everybody.” He additionally used an inventory of insults for Trump, calling the president a “baboon.”
Routh requested Cannon subpoena “each single person who had one thing destructive to say about Ryan Routh” in one other filing on the identical day.
“Please put them on the stand below 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 could be related or vital to organize an ample protection.” 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 result in clearly ludicrous and absurd ends in a courtroom continuing.”
The decide 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 incorporates digital messages despatched from a cellphone that legislation 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 “assist making certain that [Trump] doesn’t get elected.”
In that message, Routh allegedly provided to pay an unnamed individual to trace the placement 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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