"I appreciate you being here, and I apologize for bringing you here," 59-year-old Routh said to the group of 60 potential jurors at a Florida courthouse on September 8. This marked the first day of proceedings in the case stemming from the alleged assassination attempt on Trump nearly a year prior.
The trial began with jury selection, a process expected to last three days to select 12 jurors and 4 alternates. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon granted Routh's request to represent himself but appointed a standby attorney to assist.
The first group of 60 potential jurors entered the courtroom on the afternoon of September 7, with two more groups of 60 scheduled to appear on the morning of September 9. Following jury selection, the trial is set to begin on September 11.
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Ryan Routh was arrested by Florida police on a highway near West Palm Beach golf club on 15/9/2024. Photo: Martin County Sheriff's Office |
Ryan Routh was arrested by Florida police on a highway near West Palm Beach golf club on 15/9/2024. Photo: Martin County Sheriff's Office
According to the indictment, on 15/9/2024, Routh was hiding in a cluster of trees at the West Palm Beach International Golf Club, armed with a rifle. Trump, then a Republican presidential candidate, was playing golf there with his close advisor, Steve Witkoff.
A U.S. Secret Service agent spotted the rifle barrel protruding from the bushes and fired 4 shots at the suspected location. Routh did not return fire and fled the scene. Agents later apprehended him on an interstate highway.
Routh has been in custody for almost a year. He faces charges of attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate and 4 other counts, including federal weapons violations. If convicted on the assassination charge, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
Though not a lawyer, Routh chose to represent himself and pleaded not guilty. Federal prosecutors allege that Routh planned the assassination attempt for several weeks and prepared meticulously.
In addition to the federal charges, Routh faces state charges of terrorism and attempted murder. He has also pleaded not guilty to these charges.
Routh, a construction worker who lived in North Carolina and later moved to Hawaii, described himself as a mercenary and attempted to recruit fighters from Afghanistan, Moldova, and Taiwan to fight in Ukraine.
Routh was arrested in 2002 for evading a traffic stop and engaging in a standoff with police in Greensboro, North Carolina. He was carrying an automatic rifle and a 25-cm-long explosive device. In 2010, police found hundreds of stolen items in Routh's home. In both cases, he received suspended sentences.
Thanh Danh (AP, NPR)
