A federal judge sentenced Ryan Routh, the man convicted of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump in 2024, to life in prison on Wednesday.
In September, a jury previously convicted Routh of attempting to assassinate then-candidate Trump as he played on his golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida. During the trial, Routh represented himself.
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Routh had caused a major disturbance during his trial after he tried to stab himself in the neck with a pen shortly after the jury handed down its verdict.
Lawyers representing him during the sentencing phase of his trial had asked U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon for a 27-year sentence, while prosecutors asked for life. Cannon, whom Trump appointed during his first term, went with the prosecution’s recommendation.
Prosecutors said they had asked for a life sentence after Routh had not accepted responsibility for his crimes.
“Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memo.
Martin Roth, Routh’s lawyer, told reporters after the decision that he planned to appeal the sentencing. He argued that Routh was trying to tell people who might be inspired by his actions that political violence is never the answer.
“It’s harmful to the democratic process,” Roth said. “And I think he was renouncing the thought that a political assassination is ever appropriate.”
The attempted assassination happened just months after a gunman tried to kill Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. One member of Trump’s audience died, and Secret Service agents killed the gunman.
How did the assassination attempt happen?
On Sept. 15, 2024, Trump was playing golf at his golf club when a Secret Service agent checking the area noticed a rifle barrel aiming at him. The agent fired several shots at the barrel, causing Routh to get up and drive off in a vehicle.
Investigators said the area Routh was lying in was a popular spot for paparazzi to photograph Trump. They said Routh did not have a clear shot at Trump and never fired his weapon.
Authorities eventually found Routh, pulled over his vehicle and took him into custody. In his vehicle, they found 17 cellphones. Investigators found a rifle, a scope, two backpacks with ceramic tiles that could deflect bullets and a camera where Routh was hiding near the golf course.
What happened during the trial?
Prosecutors said Routh meticulously planned the assassination, alleging he spent weeks coming up with plans. Investigators said he had a well-documented online footprint of his hatred of Trump. In a self-published book, Routh encouraged Iran to assassinate Trump and also said that he should take part of the blame since he previously voted for Trump.
When he requested an attorney to assist him during the sentencing phase of his trial, Routh offered to trade his life in a prisoner swap, The Associated Press reports. He also reaffirmed his previous offer that Trump could “take out his frustrations on my face.”
“Just a quarter of an inch further back and we all would not have to deal with all of this mess forwards, but I always fail at everything (par for the course),” Routh wrote in his motion.
Cannon granted Routh his attorney but called the other parts of his motion a “disrespectful charade” and said it made a mockery of the proceedings. She previously allowed Routh to represent himself after he requested it. Routh’s previous legal team remained on standby and was with him during the trial.
