Defendant, charged with plotting to assassinate Trump, prepares for court proceedings, choosing self-representation.
Ryan Routh, the man accused of creating a sniper's nest near where Donald Trump was playing golf in West Palm Beach, Florida, will stand trial for his actions. The trial, presided over by Judge Aileen Cannon, is scheduled to take place in a courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida.
On September 15, Routh was allegedly waiting near the golf club for over 12 hours. During the day, as Trump and Steve Witkoff were playing the fifth hole, Routh was seen by a Secret Service agent with a rifle partially obscured through the fence line. At the time Routh was discovered, Trump was roughly 15 minutes from arriving at the sixth hole, just 100 feet from the rifleman's perch.
Investigators found an old Soviet-style, Chinese-made rifle on the golf course fence line, which was illegally sold to Routh by Tina Cooper and Ronnie Oxendine. Along with the rifle, bags filled with armored plates, a digital camera, some food, and an SKS rifle were discovered at the sniper's perch on the fence line.
Routh has chosen to represent himself in the trial, but public defenders have been ordered to be his standby counsel in the case. He has made derogatory remarks about Trump in recent court filings and has publicly challenged Trump to a "beatdown session" or a round of golf. However, Routh has also written a "Dear World" letter allegedly confessing to attempting to kill Trump, but later stating it speaks of peace and bringing nations together.
Routh has emphasized "intent" in his defense, highlighting his record of peacefulness and non-violence. He intends to call a former Marine sniper as an expert witness to discuss the position of the sniper's nest and the functionality of the gun. Prosecutors claim law enforcement officials fired the gun successfully for multiple rounds without it jamming, while the witness was able to fire the rifle but it jammed after one shot.
Routh faces five charges including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. If convicted, he faces life in prison.
Judge Cannon has not granted Routh's request for testimony from doctors who psychologically evaluated him following his arrest, as both doctors determined he did not qualify for an insanity defense and was competent to stand trial. A federal judge can remove the right to self-representation if the defendant is not competent or continually derails the trial.
The trial will be a significant event, shedding light on the events that transpired near Trump's golf course and the actions of the man accused of creating a sniper's nest. The outcome will have far-reaching implications for Routh's future and potentially impact the security measures in place for high-profile public figures.
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