Trump assassination attempt suspect representing himself in trial, forfeits opening statement

Trump assassination attempt suspect representing himself in trial, forfeits opening statement

YOU GET YOUR PODCASTS. >> OPENING STATEMENTS IN THE TRIAL OF THE MAN ACCUSED OF TRYING TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT TRUMP LAST YEAR BEGAN TODAY IN SOUTH FLORIDA. RYAN ROOTH IS REPRESENTING HIMSELF IN COURT. PROSECUTORS CLAIM THE 59 YEAR OLD HID WITH A RIFLE NEAR TRUMP’S GOLF COURSE IN WEST PALM BEACH LAST SEPTEMBER. RUTH HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO FIVE FEDERAL CHARGES, INCLUDING ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF A MAJOR PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE. IF CONVICTED, HE FACES A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF LIFE IN PRISON. CBS NEWS LEGAL REPORTER KATRINA KAUFMAN HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THIS CASE FOR US. INSIDE THE COURTROOM. SHE JOINS US THERE NOW. LIVE KATRINA. WHAT WERE SOME OF THE KEY TAKEAWAYS HERE, ESPECIALLY FROM RYAN ROOF’S OPENING STATEMENTS TODAY? >> I MEAN, I THINK THE BIGGEST TAKEAWAY FROM TODAY IS HOW LITTLE OF A DEFENSE RYAN RUTH IS PUTTING ON FOR HIMSELF. AND HE’S ALSO ALREADY TRYING THE PATIENCE OF JUDGE AILEEN CANNON HERE AT THIS COURTHOUSE. SHE HAD TO CUT HIM OFF DURING HIS OPENING STATEMENT. IT WAS VERY POETIC, EXISTENTIAL. HE WAS TALKING ABOUT THE BEGINNING OF HUMANITY. HE BROUGHT UP PUTIN, HITLER NETANYAHU. HE WAS MEDITATING ON WHAT INTENT IS. AT ONE POINT, HE ALMOST BEGAN CRYING WHILE TALKING ABOUT A TRACTOR. HE WAS VERY POETICALLY TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF DIFFERENT OBJECTS, BUT IT WAS WHEN HE SAID SO. NO, THIS CASE MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING THAT THE PROSECUTION OBJECTED. AND SHE FINALLY JUST ENDED HIS OPENING STATEMENT PARTWAY THROUGH. SHE HAD STOPPED HIM, TRIED TO PUT HIM BACK ON TRACK AND TOLD HIM HE COULDN’T MAKE A MOCKERY OF THIS COURTHOUSE. BUT THEN HE CONTINUED ALONG THOSE LINES SO HE DIDN’T GET TO ACTUALLY FINISH THOSE. >> SOUNDS LIKE QUITE THE WILD DAY OUT THERE, KATRINA. ON TOP OF ALL THAT, I UNDERSTAND QUITE AN INTERESTING EXCHANGE ALSO BETWEEN RUTH AND A SECRET SERVICE AGENT WHO WAS THERE ON DUTY THE DAY THAT THAT THIS ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION HAPPENED. CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT THAT? >> YEAH, THIS WAS STRIKING TO SEE. FIRST OF ALL, WHEN RUTH GOT UP TO CROSS-EXAMINE HIM, HE STARTED BY SAYING, GOOD TO SEE YOU, SIR. IS IT GOOD TO BE ALIVE? THE MAN, ROBERT, SAID, YES. AND RUTH SAID, RIGHT ON. AND JUST FOR CONTEXT, FOR CANO HAD FOUND RUTH WITH A GUN ALONG THE PERIMETER OF TRUMP’S GOLF COURSE, AND SAYS THAT RUTH POINTED IT AT HIM, AND HE SAID THIS MULTIPLE TIMES WHILE RUTH WAS EXAMINING HIM, WHICH WAS STRIKING BECAUSE HE WAS SAYING YOU TO THE ATTORNEY, ASKING HIM QUESTIONS. ESSENTIALLY, RUTH WOULD ASK HIM A QUESTION ABOUT WHAT HE SAW, AND HE SAID, I SAW YOU POINTING A WEAPON AT MY FACE. RUTH ALSO SAID TO HIM, YOU KNOW, IF THE DEFENDANT WANTED TO CAUSE YOU HARM, HE COULD HAVE. AND FOR CANO SAID HE DIDN’T KNOW HIS MINDSET, BUT HE STILL KNEW THAT THAT WEAPON WAS POINTED IN HIS FACE, AND HE SEEMED TO BE A BIT SCARRED BY IT. IN COURT TODAY, HE GOT RATHER AGITATED WHILE RUTH WAS QUESTIONING HIM, AND HE HAD BEEN VERY COMPOSED WHILE THE PROSECUTION WAS.

Opening statements began Thursday in the trial for a man accused of trying to assassinate President Trump last year in South Florida. Ryan Routh is representing himself in court. CBS News legal reporter Katrina Kaufman has more.

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