The trial of Ryan Wesley Routh, the 59-year-old construction worker accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump, commenced with jury selection. Routh, who is representing himself despite lacking legal expertise, began the proceedings with an unusual apology. Instead of addressing the gravity of the charges against him – which include attempted murder of a presidential candidate and weapons offenses carrying a potential life sentence – he apologized to the prospective jurors for the time commitment his trial would demand.
"I am Ryan Wesley Routh. I'm the defendant," Routh stated, addressing the sixty potential jurors. "I am sorry to bring you all in here. I am sorry for that."
The initial phase of jury selection spanned three hours, involving a meticulous process of eliminating jurors deemed potentially biased. While Routh generally adopted a submissive stance, deferring to the prosecution's requests to dismiss twenty jurors for various reasons, he did voice objection to one removal. This was a young woman who indicated in her questionnaire that she believed felons should have their voting rights restored. Routh, who possesses an extensive criminal record himself, stated, "I would obviously like to keep this juror. I appreciate her thinking in all the questions. Restoring felon rights -- I can certainly relate to that." Judge Aileen Cannon initially agreed to retain the juror but indicated further inquiry was needed.
Several potential jurors expressed views that could have shown sympathy towards Routh, including one who declared a lack of faith in the justice system and another who seemed to understand Routh’s motivations. However, both were dismissed for cause, with Routh not contesting their removal. Throughout the day, Routh's demeanor shifted from shackled in the morning session to unchained during the afternoon's jury selection. He spent a significant portion of the time reviewing jury questionnaires. Judge Cannon, a Trump appointee who previously oversaw and dismissed a criminal case involving the former president, initially restricted Routh's ability to question potential jurors but later showed greater leniency. She did, however, reprimand Routh for insufficient preparation regarding the jury questionnaires.
The day concluded with 60 of the 180 potential jurors having been reviewed, with 21 dismissed for cause. The remaining jurors were scheduled to return the following day for further selection and potential peremptory challenges. Opening statements were projected to commence as early as Wednesday or Thursday.
Adding to the complexities of the case, Routh revealed that two intended witnesses were unlikely to testify. One had prior travel plans, while the other feared deportation from the United States. The prosecution and Judge Cannon did not publicly address these claims.
Routh's self-representation has been marked by unusual requests. Court filings detail his attempts to arrange a physical altercation or a golf match with Trump, and even to propose a prisoner exchange to avoid trial. His previous legal team was dismissed earlier this year; however, they remain present in court as standby counsel.
Prosecutors intend to present considerable evidence against Routh, including alleged planning spanning months, communications indicating intent, possession of a military-grade rifle and burner phones, and potentially incriminating statements from a self-published book and emails. They plan to highlight a handwritten note allegedly detailing an assassination plan and offering a reward for its completion.
Routh's defense, according to his court filings, aims to focus on his character, aiming to establish a lack of intent to kill Trump. Judge Cannon has cautioned Routh against disruptive behavior and warned against attempts to manipulate the trial.
The trial is expected to last two to four weeks, with the jury remaining anonymous and partially sequestered for its duration. Routh's previous attempt to have Judge Cannon recuse herself was unsuccessful.
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Originally published at: https://abcnews.go.com/US/trial-set-begin-case-man-allegedly-kill-trump/story?id=125352319
