US man handed stiff prison term over plot to shoot Trump
Donald Trump, President of the US (photo: Getty Images)
Ryan Routh, who attempted to shoot US President Donald Trump on a golf course in Florida in 2024, has been sentenced to life imprisonment, reports the Associated Press.
Details of the court ruling
The verdict was announced in a courtroom in Fort Pierce. Judge Cannon sentenced Routh to life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with an additional seven years on a weapons-related charge.
Ryan Routh was found guilty on five counts:
- Attempted assassination of a presidential candidate;
- Use of a firearm in the commission of a crime;
- Assault on a federal officer;
- Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony;
- Possession of a weapon with an obliterated serial number.
“Your plot to kill was deliberate and evil. You are not a peaceful man. You are not a good man,” the judge told the defendant during the court hearing.
Positions of the defense and the prosecution
Routh’s attorney, Martin L. Roth, sought a reduced sentence, asking for 27 years in prison. He argued that the perpetrator chose not to pull the trigger at the decisive moment.
Assistant US Attorney John Shipley emphasized that American democracy does not function when individuals take it upon themselves to eliminate candidates. The prosecution stressed that Routh has shown no remorse and has never apologized for the life he put at risk.
What is known about the assassination attempt
The investigation established that Routh had been planning to kill Trump for several weeks. On September 15, 2024, he pointed a rifle through the bushes while Trump was playing golf in West Palm Beach.
A Secret Service agent spotted Routh and opened fire first. Routh fled without firing a shot but was later detained.
