The criminal trial for a man suspected of trying to assassinate United States President Donald Trump last year has started, coming at a time of heightened alarm over political violence in the US.
The trial began with opening statements on Thursday as the defendant, 59-year-old Ryan Routh, took the unusual step of representing himself.
Routh faces five charges, including trying to assassinate a presidential candidate, and faces the possibility of life in prison if found guilty. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The proceedings came one day after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a far-right media figure and close Trump ally whose killing has raised alarm over the increasing frequency of political violence in the US.
Routh said in July that he would represent himself in court, telling US District Court Judge Eileen Cannon that he did not want a “random stranger” speaking on his behalf. Two public defenders originally assigned to his case are now serving on standby to assist him with logistical tasks.
Cannon cut Routh off on Thursday as he gave a series of bizarre remarks on topics that did not seem relevant to the case, such as the origin of the human species, the settling of the US frontier and international conflicts. The jury was sent out of the room after Routh said the case meant “absolutely nothing”.
Prosecutors accuse Routh of hiding with a rifle next to a golf course in an attempt to kill Trump on September 15, 2024, at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.
Court documents stated that the plot was foiled when a Secret Service agent noticed a gun sticking out from a fence and opened fire. Routh then fled the area before being stopped and apprehended by police on a Florida highway.
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