FORT PIERCE, Fla. (CBS12) — Federal prosecutors laid out a meticulous plot on Thursday morning in what they say was crafted by Ryan Routh, who allegedly attempted to assassinate President Donald Trump at his golf course last September.
Opening statements in the trial of 59-year-old Ryan Routh began on Thursday. Routh is accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last September at his golf course.
Federal Judge Aileen Cannon allowed both Routh and the government prosecutors 40 minutes for their opening statements.
Prosecution’s Arguments
The prosecution argued that Routh had a clear intent to assassinate Trump, emphasizing that the case was not about First or Second Amendment rights.
U.S. Attorney John Shipley stated, “If not for Fercano’s actions, Donald Trump would be dead,” and highlighted the extensive evidence of premeditation and planning.
He insisted, “This is a trail of lies,” and dismissed any notion that constitutional rights were at stake, asserting the case was about Routh’s intent to kill Trump.
The prosecution outlined a plot to assassinate Trump, presenting evidence to support their case:
Routh allegedly possessed a rifle with 20 rounds of 7.62×39 ammunition.He reportedly used multiple aliases, including Ryan Olson, John White, and John Smith, and traveled from Hawaii to North Carolina to Florida.Routh visited Trump’s golf course 17 times within a month and tracked Trump’s movements using WhatsApp and Signal.
Prosecutors detailed Routh’s meticulous preparations:
He purchased six phones and used stolen license plates.His written gear list included unusual items like diapers for a stakeout.He checked weather conditions for his planned attack and had escape plans ready, with documents for flights to Mexico and Colombia.
See also: Judge cuts off Trump’s alleged attempted assassination suspect’s rambling defense twice
During the alleged attempted assassination, Secret Service agent Robert Fercano intercepted Routh and fired a shot at him. Routh attempted to flee and was nearly hit by a witness, Tommy McGee, before being arrested in Martin County with multiple pieces of evidence.
Find more ways to stay up to date with your latest local news. Sign up for our newsletter to get the day’s top headlines delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our YouTube channel for the biggest stories and can’t miss video.
