Jury selection resumed Tuesday in the federal trial of Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old man accused of attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump while the then-presidential candidate was playing golf in West Palm Beach in September 2024.
Three groups of 60 potential jurors have been called for questioning in U.S. District Court in Fort Pierce, where prosecutors and Routh — who is representing himself — are questioning prospective jurors to determine whether they can serve fairly. The process, which began Monday, is expected to wrap up Wednesday and will ultimately produce 12 jurors and four alternates.
Prosecutors say Routh planned to kill Trump for weeks and on Sept. 15, 2024, staked out a position in shrubbery near Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh pointing a rifle at Trump and fired, prosecutors say; Routh then abandoned his weapon and left the scene.
Routh is charged federally with attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and multiple firearms offenses. Those federal charges carry a potential life sentence if he is convicted. He also faces state charges, including terrorism and attempted murder. Routh has pleaded not guilty and has maintained his innocence.
During the initial round of voir dire, Routh posed a series of unconventional questions to potential jurors, touching on the war in Gaza, the idea of the United States acquiring Greenland and even how a juror might react to seeing a turtle in the road. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, interrupted and described the questions as "politically charged" and irrelevant to jury selection.
"None of the questions on your list have any bearing whatsoever. They were off base, sir, and have no relevance to jury selection," Cannon told Routh in court, according to a transcript of the proceeding.
Court officials have allocated four weeks for the trial, with opening statements scheduled to begin Thursday and prosecutors expected to launch into their case immediately afterward. The court docket indicates the trial is to conclude no later than Oct. 3.
Routh, a construction worker, has represented himself during the voir dire process after waiving his right to counsel. The unusual approach to questioning raised procedural issues during the early stages of jury selection, as attorneys and the judge worked to frame questions that would screen for bias without straying into political territory.
Federal prosecutors will have the burden of proving beyond a reasonable doubt that Routh intended to kill a major presidential candidate and that his actions constituted an attempted assassination. The government also must prove the statutory elements of the other charges, including the assault on a federal officer and the alleged unlawful possession and use of firearms.
The case has drawn national attention because of the target and because it comes after heightened concerns about threats to public officials. Proceedings in Fort Pierce are being closely watched by legal analysts and political observers as jury selection continues and the court prepares for opening statements.