Ryan Routh, who was accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at his Florida golf course, has pleaded not guilty to the charges in a federal court.
According to prosecutors, Ryan Routh, 58, was spotted with a rifle as he hid in the bushes near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach earlier this month.
A Secret Service officer protecting Donald Trump allegedly spotted his rifle barrel poking through a fence and opened fire. Ryan Routh fled and was later arrested on Interstate 95, a main highway through the state.
In addition to the attempted assassination of Trump, Ryan Routh has been charged with firearms offences and assaulting an officer.
Image source Wikipedia
On September 30, Ryan Routh appeared in court handcuffed and wearing a brownish prison jumpsuit, according to CBS News.
After each count was read to him, he shook his head in acknowledgment of the charges.
His attorneys entered a plea of not guilty and requested a trial by jury. The hearing lasted around five minutes.
If convicted, Ryan Routh faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on the assassination charge.
An earlier court filing showed that Ryan Routh had written a note months ago saying he intended to kill the former president.
In a pre-written letter addressed to “The World” and sent to an unnamed witness months earlier, Routh appears to pre-empt a failed assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
“I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster,” the letter reads, with the offer of a cash reward to anyone “who can complete the job”.
Ryan Routh has been held in prison in Florida since his arrest on September 15.
He has a long criminal record, including a felony gun conviction for owning a fully automatic machine gun, and was barred from owning firearms as a result.
He was active in recruiting volunteers to fight in Ukraine’s war against Russia, and had a range of eclectic political views, although he was registered as a Democrat and made anti-Trump posts online.
Ryan Routh’s alleged plot was the second attempt on Trump’s life after Thomas Matthew Crooks, a 20-year-old armed with an AR-style rifle, opened fire on the former president during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July.
Thomas Matthew Crooks was shot dead by counter-snipers.
The Secret Service, the government agency tasked with protecting the president and other politicians and their family members, came under heavy criticism for allowing a gunman to get so close to the former president.
The agency is also responsible for protecting foreign leaders during US visits.
Donald Trump has returned to his home in New Jersey after he was injured in an attempted assassination at a rally on July 13.
Shots rang out as the Republican candidate was speaking at an event in Pennsylvania, sparking panic in the crowd as Secret Service agents swarmed the former president.
Donald Trump, who emerged with a bloodied face, says he was shot in the ear, describing a “whizzing sound” and feeling a “bullet ripping through skin”.
The FBI has identified the gunman as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks – he was shot and killed by the Secret Service.
One spectator was killed at the rally and two others were critically injured.
After the shooting, President Joe Biden released a statement, expressing concern about the “sick” assassination attempt and saying he was “grateful” to hear that Donald Trump was safe.
“I have been briefed on the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania. I’m grateful to hear that he’s safe and doing well,” Joe Biden said.
“I’m praying for him and his family and for all those who were at the rally, as we await further information. Jill and I are grateful to the Secret Service for getting him to safety.
“There’s no place for this kind of violence in America. We must unite as one nation to condemn it. It’s sick, it’s sick”.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Vice-President Kamala Harris also released a statement, underlining that she is “relieved” Donald Trump was not seriously injured.
“We are praying for him, his family, and all those who have been injured and impacted by this senseless shooting.”
It says he “looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th president of the United States. As our party’s nominee… [he] will continue to share his vision to Make America Great Again,” the statement from the Trump campaign and RNC reads.
Earlier, Donald Trump posted a statement on Truth Social, a platform he founded.
The former president thanked law enforcement officers and the Secret Service for their “rapid response”.
“Most importantly, I want to extend my condolences to the family of the person at the rally who was killed, and also to the family of another person that was badly injured. It is incredible that such an act can take place in our country,” Donald Trump said.
“Nothing is known at this time about the shooter, who is now dead. I was shot with a bullet that pierced the upper part of my right ear. I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin.
“Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening. God Bless America!”
It has since been confirmed that President Biden has spoken with Donald Trump.
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