Convicted man sentenced to life in prison for attempted assassination attempt

US District Judge Cannon has handed down a life sentence to Ryan Routh, who was convicted of plotting to kill Donald Trump at the 2024 US presidential election. The 59-year-old Routh had been hiding in bushes on a Florida golf course where Trump was playing with a semi-automatic rifle for nearly 10 hours before being spotted by Secret Service agents.

Routh’s defence lawyer had requested a 27-year prison term, while prosecutors recommended life imprisonment due to the severity of his crimes. The judge stated that Routh engaged in a “premeditated, calculated plot” to take a human life.

The incident occurred on September 15, 2024, at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. This event took place about two months after Trump survived an attempt on his life at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a bullet grazed his ear.

Prosecutors stated that Routh arrived in South Florida approximately one month prior to the incident, where he lived at a truck stop and gathered information about Trump’s movement and schedule. In court, Routh made statements about conflicts overseas and expressed a desire to be exchanged for political prisoners abroad.

Routh denied intending to kill Trump in a court filing and stated his willingness to undergo psychological treatment while incarcerated.

Source: Al Jazeera