Ryan Wesley Routh, who was charged with trying to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump at a Florida golf course earlier this year, will not stand trial until September 2025, a federal judge ruled Monday. It was given down.
U.S. District Judge Eileen Cannon postponed Routh's previously scheduled trial date of February 10, 2025 to September 8, 2025.
Routh, 58, has pleaded not guilty in the case.
The delay was requested by the alleged assassin's lawyers, who argued they needed more time to evaluate the evidence against Routh as they considered whether to pursue an insanity defense.
Routh, a native of Hawaii, is in possession of 17 cell phones and several other electronic devices, and his lawyers say they want to examine their contents.
His lawyers have also been given hundreds of hours of police body camera footage and surveillance video to review.
Cannon, who presided over and dismissed President Trump's classified documents lawsuit, agreed in his order that Routh's lawyers need more time given the seriousness of the charges, and that a trial in September 2025 will be held. The court ruled that there was no “unreasonable delay”.
The judge also ruled that Mr. Routh's lawyers have until early February to decide whether to enter an insanity defense and that a visit to the scene of the assassination attempt must be completed by the end of the month. did.
Routh could face life in prison if convicted of attempting to assassinate a leading presidential candidate.
He also faces charges of assault on a federal officer and firearms violations.
Prosecutors say Routh spent weeks plotting the assassination of President Trump, 78, before heading to West Palm Beach, Florida, and on September 15, he held a rifle while the president-elect was doing rounds. He claims he was hiding in the bushes outside the Trump International Golf Club. of golf.
A House Assassination Task Force report released earlier this month said Routh was spotted by Secret Service agents and fired shots that all missed.
After being shot, Routh dropped his rifle and fled the scene unharmed. About 40 minutes later, he was arrested by local police on a highway in Florida.
The assassination attempt came two months after President Trump was struck by a sniper's bullet in the ear during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
