By DAVID FISCHER, Related Press
FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A person accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf course final 12 months informed a federal decide on Friday that prosecutors haven’t confirmed that an assassination try occurred. However the decide denied his movement for acquittal, that means jurors will finally resolve the person’s destiny.
Prosecutors rested their case towards Ryan Routh Friday afternoon following testimony from 38 witnesses over seven days. After jurors have been dismissed for the weekend, Routh, who’s representing himself, made a movement for acquittal on to U.S. District Choose Aileen Cannon on 4 of the 5 counts towards him, excluding the cost of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Prosecutors have stated Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump earlier than aiming a rifle via the shrubbery as Trump performed golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Seashore nation membership.
Routh has pleaded not responsible to costs of making an attempt to assassinate a significant presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several other firearm violations.
Routh argued Friday afternoon that prosecutors haven’t confirmed any try to assassinate Trump.
“They possibly proved that somebody was exterior the (golf course) fence with a gun, however the gun was by no means fired,” Routh stated.
Routh stated the realm exterior the Trump Worldwide Golf Membership was a public proper of method for a public street, and anybody had a proper to be there with a weapon.
Prosecutors responded that Routh took a number of substantial steps in his try to kill Trump, together with aiming a loaded gun with its security off via the fence.
“That is as removed from peaceable meeting as you will get,” Assistant U.S. Lawyer John Shipley stated.
Cannon denied Routh’s movement, explaining {that a} juror may moderately discover that prosecutors had met their burden of proof. Which means the following step is for the protection to start its case Monday morning. Routh has indicated he plans to name three witnesses: a firearms skilled and two character witnesses. He hasn’t stated whether or not he plans to testify himself. He informed the decide Friday that his case ought to take about half a day.
Cannon stated attorneys ought to be ready to ship their closing arguments on Tuesday, giving all sides one hour and 45 minutes. Jurors will start deliberating after that. Cannon had initially blocked off greater than three weeks for the trial on the Fort Pierce federal courthouse, however Routh’s comparatively quick cross examinations have led to a faster tempo than anticipated.
The prosecution’s closing witness spent about six hours over Thursday and Friday tying collectively a few week’s value of testimony. FBI Supervisory Particular Agent Kimberly McGreevy used cellphone data, location information, textual content messages, financial institution data, web searches, safety video and numerous retailer receipts as an example Routh’s actions and actions over the month previous to the tried assault and to indicate that he started attempting to accumulate a gun, regardless of being a convicted felon, almost six months earlier than his arrest.
Proof confirmed that Routh traveled to South Florida a few month earlier than the assassination try, McGreevy stated. He lived out of a black Nissan Xterra, usually parked at a western Palm Seashore County truck cease, whereas routinely touring to the areas round Palm Seashore Worldwide Airport, Trump Worldwide Golf Course and Trump’s main residence at Mar-a-Lago, the agent stated.
“He was residing at that truck cease and conducting bodily and digital surveillance and stalking the president, then-former President Trump,” McGreevy stated.
Recounting the alleged assault on the golf course, a Secret Service agent testified final week that he noticed Routh earlier than Trump got here into view. Routh aimed his rifle on the agent, who opened fireplace, inflicting Routh to drop his weapon and flee with out firing a shot, the agent stated.
Regulation enforcement obtained assist from a witness who testified that he noticed an individual fleeing the realm after listening to gunshots. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a close-by interstate the place Routh was arrested, and the witness stated he confirmed it was the particular person he had seen.
Simply 9 weeks earlier, Trump had survived an try on his life whereas campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight photographs, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The gunman was then fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.
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