FORT PIERCE, Fla. - Ryan Routh, a man convicted of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump during a golf outing, was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon described Routh's actions as a deliberate act of political violence, stating that American democracy cannot function when individuals attempt to eliminate its candidates.
During the sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley remarked on the severity of Routh’s crimes, reinforcing that such actions are intolerable in the United States or anywhere in the world. Routh's attorney, Martin L. Roth, acknowledged his client's complex nature but argued that he had ultimately refrained from carrying out the assassination.
Routh, who had struggled with mental health issues, read a lengthy statement in court, reflecting on his life and decisions leading up to the incident. However, Judge Cannon interrupted him, emphasizing the irrelevance of his remarks to his sentencing.
In a sequence of events, Routh had plotted the assassination for weeks and aimed a rifle at Trump on September 15, 2024, before a Secret Service agent intervened. The judge condemned Routh's intent as 'evil' and highlighted his lack of remorse, leading to a life sentence without the possibility of parole, along with an additional seven years for a firearms offense. Routh's previous felony convictions and dangerous online behavior contributed to the harsh sentence, as prosecutors maintained that he demonstrated a complete disregard for the law.
