Prosecution continues case against man accused in a Trump assassination attempt

Witnesses from the FBI and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office on Friday offered details on the law enforcement response and evidence collection during the trial of a man accused of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump while he played golf in South Florida last year.

One FBI agent presented a 3D computer model of the golf course that showed the so-called sniper’s nest was about 125 feet from the sixth hole. Another agent described the collection of evidence, which included an SKS semiautomatic rifle with a round chambered, extra ammunition, metal ballistic plates and cans of Vienna sausages. A Palm Beach deputy testified the area was swept for explosives, but none were found.

It was the second day of testimony, coming the day after opening statements were cut short. The federal government took its full 40 minutes, but U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon declared defendant Ryan Routh, who is representing himself, forfeited his right to continue making an opening statement after failing to keep his comments relevant to the case despite repeated warnings.

The case was previously expected to run two or three weeks, but that timeline could shorten, as Routh’s cross examinations of prosecution witnesses have been relatively brief. Meanwhile, Routh has indicated that he plans to call a firearms expert, as well as several character witnesses. Routh hasn’t said whether he plans to testify himself.

Bob Jarvis, a law professor at Nova Southeastern University, said there are three ways that a defendant representing himself could testify. The method is up to the judge’s discretion, but the judge can’t prevent a defendant from testifying.

“If Routh wants to testify, he has to be allowed to testify,” Jarvis said.

The most common is for the defendant to take the witness stand and then offer a narrative to the jury. Less common is for the defendant to answer questions he poses to himself. The most rare method would be for the judge to allow the jurors themselves to ask questions but, Jarvis said, that is almost never done.

Under any of those scenarios, prosecutors would then be allowed to cross examine the defendant and ask their own questions.

Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

Prosecutors have said Routh, 59, methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived an attempt on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear, before being fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.