Feds Seek Indefinite Delay of Trial for Ukraine-loving Trump Assassin Ryan Routh

by Libby Palanza | Oct 3, 2024

Prosecutors in the case against Ryan W. Routh — the suspect in the second assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump (R) — requested Wednesday that the forthcoming trial be indefinitely delayed, arguing that “the volume of evidence collected in this case is substantial and the investigation is ongoing.”

Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon was asked by prosecutors Wednesday to designate this case as “complex,” allowing the timeline to stretch beyond what is typically lawful.

Prosecutors indicate that Routh’s counsel does not object to the “instant motion” to cancel any upcoming deadlines or court dates.

Throughout the filing, prosecutors lay out the scope of their investigation, having interviewed “hundreds of witnesses,” executed thirteen search warrants across Florida, Hawaii, and North Carolina, and “seized hundreds of items of evidence,” including several electronic devices.

Taken together, the electronic data is estimated to constitute approximately 4,000 terabytes, or 4 million gigabytes. For comparison, the storage capacity of a laptop computer typically ranges from 256 gigabytes to 2 terabytes.

The filing goes on to explain that the FBI is “conducting forensic testing on multiple pieces of evidence” and based on “preliminary results,” the prosecutors expect to call “several expert witnesses to testify at trial.”

Because the government is required under the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to “provide expert witness disclosures sufficiently in advance of trial,” they cite this as further reason for their request to be granted.

At the close of their filing, the prosecutors also note that the “investigation of this case is still ongoing,” meaning that they anticipate additional interviews, evidence, and search warrant executions going forward.

Routh is facing a number of charges, including attempting to assassinate a major Presidential candidate, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

With respect to all five counts, including the attempted assassination of former President Trump, Routh has plead not guilty.

Click Here to Read the Full Filing

On September 15, Routh had allegedly set up a “sniper’s nest” at the fence bordering Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach and hid in the bushes with a gun while the former president was on the course.

No shots were fired at former President Trump, as a Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a gun and fired on the suspect, who fled before being arrested.

“The suspect was well-hidden in the shrubbery and had a clear line of sight to the golf course. With a rifle and scope like that, the distance would not have been an issue,” Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said immediately following the attempted assassination.

Routh’s alleged “sniper’s nest” was located 400 to 500 yards from the course’s fifth and sixth holes, where Trump was playing.

The first attempt on Trump’s life occurred on July 13 — just 64 days prior — during a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

Libby Palanza is a reporter for the Maine Wire and a lifelong Mainer. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in Government and History. She can be reached at [email protected].

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