 "Ryan Routh is a suspect in the apparent assassination attempt of Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump. AP")
The trial for a man accused of attempting to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump in South Florida has been postponed until September 2025, a federal judge ruled this week.
Ryan Routh, 58, of Hawaii, is charged with the attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, a crime that carries a potential life sentence if convicted. Additional charges include assaulting a federal officer and three firearms violations.
US District Judge Aileen Cannon set the new trial date for September 8, 2025, pushing it back from its previously scheduled start in February. Routh has pleaded not guilty.
Insanity defence review
Routh’s attorneys requested a delay until December 2025, citing the need to review extensive evidence, including hundreds of hours of police body camera footage, surveillance videos, and data from 17 cellphones and numerous other electronic devices.
Judge Cannon agreed to a postponement but said waiting until December would constitute an “excessive amount” of time. She noted the seriousness of the allegations warranted additional preparation but called the September trial date a reasonable compromise.
The judge also set early February deadlines for the defense to file notice of any insanity defence or raise concerns about Routh’s mental competency. Any visits to the site of the alleged attack must occur by the end of February.
Details of the alleged plot
Prosecutors allege Routh meticulously planned to kill Trump, aiming a rifle through shrubbery as the president-elect played golf at his West Palm Beach country club on September 15, 2024.
A Secret Service agent reportedly spotted Routh before Trump came into view. When confronted, Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire. Routh dropped his weapon and fled the scene without firing a shot, leaving behind a note outlining his intentions, according to prosecutors.
Routh was arrested shortly afterward while driving on a nearby interstate. He remains held without bail at a federal jail in Miami.
Second assassination attempt in two months
Routh’s arrest came two months after Trump was shot and wounded in the ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The Secret Service acknowledged lapses in security in that incident but said its protocols prevented the potential Florida attack from succeeding.
If convicted, Routh faces a life sentence for the attempted assassination charge and significant additional penalties for the related offenses.
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