Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old man who attempted to kill President Donald Trump last September at a Florida golf course, was found guilty in the trial that was held against him.
After the verdict was read, Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen, an act that led the police officers present at the hearing to have to restrain him. The southern state's jury deliberated for only two hours before declaring him guilty of attempting to assassinate the then Republican candidate.
Routh, who was facing five charges of attempted murder, assaulting a federal officer, and multiple offenses involving the use of a firearm, waived his attorneys and represented himself at the close of the trial, pleading not guilty to all the charges against him.
El desquiciado que intentó matar a Trump en un campo de golf fue declarado culpable
Routh was a Democratic activist who volunteered in Ukraine
In a trial that lasted two weeks, prosecutors called dozens of witnesses and introduced compelling evidence that demonstrated the defendant's guilt. "This was not a publicity stunt. The evidence has shown one thing and only one thing: the defendant wanted Donald Trump dead," said prosecutor Christopher Browne.
During the arguments, Routh said in his closing statement that the only charge he could be guilty of is caring "deeply for this country". He also defended his work in support of Ukraine in the war that country is having with Russia, where he volunteered on the battlefield and was responsible for recruiting other international citizens to go to war.
The now convicted man has a long history of run-ins with the law. He was charged and convicted of multiple crimes, including illegal possession of a firearm and property theft. His last offense occurred in 2021 in Honolulu, Hawaii, when he assaulted his neighbor in a neighborhood dispute.
In addition to his full support for Ukraine, Routh identified himself as a Democratic activist and had donated to different causes promoted by the party. The criminal described his anti-Trump stance in a delusional book he published in 2022, where he talks about the war in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and other topics.
El desquiciado que intentó matar a Trump en un campo de golf fue declarado culpable
