A jury convicted Ryan Routh on Tuesday for his trump-assassination-conviction/” title=”Ryan Routh Found Guilty in Shocking Attempted Assassination of …: NPR”>attempted assassination of Donald Trump at the former president’s Florida golf course last year.
After deliberating for two hours, the panel of five men and seven women found Routh guilty on every charge he faced.
As the verdict was announced and the jurors exited the courtroom, Routh suddenly grabbed a pen and tried to stab himself in the neck. Court marshals quickly intervened, restraining and removing him from the courthouse.
Routh faced multiple serious charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, assaulting a federal officer, possession of a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. He pleaded not guilty and chose to represent himself during the trial.
Prosecutors detailed how Routh meticulously planned the attack over several weeks, ultimately aiming a rifle through bushes as Trump played golf on September 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.
In his closing statement, Routh denied any intent to kill, arguing, “It’s difficult to accept that a crime occurred if the trigger was never pulled.” He emphasized that he had a clear line of sight to Trump on the path to the sixth-hole green and noted that if he had wanted to cause harm, he could have targeted a Secret Service agent who confronted him.
At 59 years old, Routh exercised his constitutional right to remain silent and did not testify. He rested his defense after calling only three witnesses-a firearms expert and two character witnesses-over approximately three hours. In contrast, the prosecution presented 38 witnesses over seven days.
Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the verdict on social media, stating it “demonstrates the Department of Justice’s dedication to holding accountable those who commit acts of political violence.”
She added, “This attempted assassination was not just an attack on our President but a direct assault on the fabric of our nation.”
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon approved Routh’s decision to self-represent after two hearings in July. The Supreme Court affirms that defendants may waive their right to counsel if deemed competent by a judge. Routh’s former attorneys remained as standby counsel throughout the trial.
During the trial, a Secret Service agent recounted spotting Routh before Trump appeared. Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, who then fired, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.
Authorities also relied on a witness who heard gunfire and saw someone fleeing the scene. This witness helped police locate and identify Routh, who was arrested near a nearby interstate after being flown there by helicopter.
This incident followed another assassination attempt on Trump just nine weeks earlier in Butler, Pennsylvania, where a gunman fired eight shots, one grazing Trump’s ear, before being fatally shot by a Secret Service sniper.
Routh, originally a construction worker from North Carolina who had recently relocated to Hawaii, portrayed himself as a mercenary leader. Witnesses told The Associated Press that he openly discussed his violent plans and ambitions to engage in global conflicts.
Early in the Russia-Ukraine war, Routh attempted to recruit fighters from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan to join the battle against Russian forces. In 2002, in his hometown of Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested after evading police and barricading himself with a fully automatic machine gun and what was described as a “weapon of mass destruction,” later identified as an explosive device with a 10-inch fuse.
In 2010, a police search of a warehouse owned by Routh uncovered over 100 stolen items, including power tools, construction materials, kayaks, and spa tubs. Despite these felony charges, he received probation or suspended sentences.
In addition to the federal charges, Routh faces state-level accusations of terrorism and attempted murder, to which he has also pleaded not guilty.
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