Man who represented himself in court for Trump assassination attempt at West Palm Beach golf course found guilty on all counts
After representing himself in court during his trial for the attempted assassination of then Presidential Candidate Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course, 59-year-old Ryan Routh was found guilty of all five charges against him. As the verdict was read, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen, according to a person in the courtroom who spoke to CNN.
The charges he faced were attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The attempted assassination took place just over a year ago on September 15, 2024, when Routh was arrested after created what authorities described as a “sniper’s nest” near the sixth green of the Trump International Golf Club. He did not fire any shots before being arrested.
President Trump congratulated members of the DOJ team, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, for the outcome on Truth Social, and described Routh saying, “This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him.”
The case was built over two weeks of testimony and 38 witnesses, who illustrated how Routh allegedly stalked President Trump and collected “physical and electronic evidence” in the process. FBI witnesses described how Routh spent weeks near the course leading up to the day of his arrest, as well as searched for terms including “Trump’s upcoming rallies” and “Palm Beach traffic cameras” on several alleged “burner phones”.
Prosecutors also laid out the details of his failed escape plan, which included multiple license plates, three aliases, and searches for flights to Mexico. He texted his three children shortly before he planned to carry out the assassination, and was arrested fleeing on Florida’s Interstate 95.
The jury deliberated for under three hours before their verdict was delivered, and sentencing is scheduled for later this year on December 18. Routh is facing the possibility of life in prison.
