US District Judge Aileen Cannon pronounced Ryan Routh’s fate in the same Fort Pierce courtroom that erupted into chaos in September when he tried to stab himself shortly after jurors found him guilty on all counts.
A Florida man who tried to assassinate President Donald Trump was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday, after a federal prosecutor said such an act was unacceptable “in this country or anywhere.”ย The attempted assassination took place on September 15, 2024, at Trump International Golf Club, West Palm Beach.
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US District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the sentence to Ryan Routh in a Fort Pierce courtroom, the same court that descended into chaos in September when Routh attempted to stab himself shortly after a jury found him guilty on all charges.
Routh’s sentencing was initially scheduled for December. But Cannon agreed to move it back after Routh decided to use an attorney during the sentencing phase, instead of representing himself as he did for most of the trial.
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According to CNN, Routh was found guilty in September on five counts, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, as Trump was campaigning for the 2024 US Presidential Elections, after he set up a sniper position near the now US President’s West Palm Beach golf course and was thwarted by a US Secret Service agent. The sentencing was delivered on Wednesday (local time) by US District Judge Aileen Cannon.
What happened in the court?
“American democracy does not work when individuals take it into their own hands to eliminate candidates. That’s what this individual tried to do,” Assistant US Attorney John Shipley told the judge.
Defense attorney Martin L Roth argued that “at the moment of truth, he chose not to pull the trigger.”
The judge pushed back, noting Routh’s history of arrests, to which Roth said, “He’s a complex person, I’ll give the court that, but he has a very good core.”
Routh then read from a rambling, 20-page statement. Cannon broke in, said none of what he was saying was relevant and gave him five more minutes to talk. “I did everything I could and lived a good life,” Routh said, before the judge cut him off.
“Your plot to kill was deliberate and evil,” she said. “You are not a peaceful man. You are not a good man.”
She then issued his sentence: Life without parole, plus seven years on a gun charge. His sentences for his other three crimes will run concurrently.
Assassination attempt on Trump
The attempted attack took place on September 15, 2024, when Routh, armed with a Soviet-style rifle and shielded by armour plates, positioned himself along the perimeter fence of the golf course, CNN reported.
A Secret Service agent spotted the rifle barrel and Routh’s face through the fence and fired shots, forcing Routh to flee.
Routh was later identified and apprehended after a civilian witness noted his vehicle’s licence plate and alerted authorities.
Additional evidence showed Routh had searched for escape routes, including directions to Miami airport and flights to Mexico.
Routh represented himself during parts of the trial and was repeatedly reprimanded by the court for straying from legal arguments.
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