Disjointed from the outset and showing no signs of change, justice in the case of Ryan Routh and Donald Trump proceeded through the first day of the defendant’s trial in a Florida courtroom Thursday.
Routh, native of Greensboro and past resident in Hawaii, was stopped early in his opening statement by Judge Aileen Cannon and later got a rookie lesson on why attorneys know the answers to questions before answered. John Shipley, assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting for the Department of Justice, in his opening said a “carefully crafted and deadly serious” plan by Routh was going to take away a choice of voters by killing the Republican nominee for president.
Trump, a Republican, went on to win his second term by carrying seven battleground states 93-0 in electoral college votes. Routh, prosecutors say, tried to stop him on Sept. 15 of last year as he golfed in Florida.
When Routh on Thursday asked former Secret Service agent Robert Fercano why the gunman he encountered on the sixth hole didn’t fire at him, Fercano replied, “I don’t know your mindset. I do know the gun barrel that day was pointed at my face.”
Fercano is now with the Department of Homeland Security.
Routh was unhappy with attorneys and Cannon agreed in July to let the defendant represent himself at trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Fort Pierce. During jury selection after all 12 and four alternates were secured, Routh told Cannon, “I think we got our jury. We just got a racist situation.”
Routh and prosecutors agreed on five men (four white, one Black) and seven women (six white, one Black). Of six allowed rejections, prosecutors used them all including two on Blacks and Routh used five.
In his opening statement, Cannon warned him to stay relevant to the case. Among other things he got in comments on Adolf Hitler, the war between Russia and Ukraine, and the war between Hamas and Israel before being stopped about 10 minutes into a prepared statement. Jurors twice were escorted out.
Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations. Court-appointed lawyers on standby. Maximum sentencing possible is life in prison.
Prosecutors say the suspect was going to attempt take the life of Trump. The incident came 65 days after a shooter on a roof struck Trump’s ear with one of eight bullets he fired in Butler, Pa.
Security agents for Trump encountered Routh prior to the golf group reaching the area. Routh is accused of raising a rifle, leading to a shot from agents, a short vehicle chase and the suspect’s apprehension.
Routh is a construction worker by trade from Greensboro. He’s been outspoken on world conflict, inclusive of the countries of Ukraine, Afghanistan, Moldova, Taiwan and Russia.
The Center Square confirmed he participated in the Super Tuesday primaries in 2024 from the North Carolina State Board of Elections website, and in Hawaii’s 2024 elections through the Office of the City Clerk for the city and county of Honolulu.
