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Suspect in Trump assassination attempt veers off topic and forfeits opening statement at trial
Ryan Routh forfeited his opening statement after discussing unrelated topics; prosecutors say he plotted for weeks to assassinate Trump to prevent his re-election, trial ongoing with multiple witnesses.
On Thursday, defendant Ryan Routh, representing himself, forfeited his opening after veering into unrelated topics including Adolf Hitler and wars in Ukraine and Gaza.
Prosecutors say Routh methodically plotted last year to kill President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach country club, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley told jurors Routh aimed to prevent Trump's re-election.
Five witnesses testified Thursday, including two Secret Service agents, two FBI agents and Tommy McGee, who followed the suspect after the shooting.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon twice asked jurors to leave when Routh veered off-topic and said, 'I gave you one more chance and you continued to read what has no relevance for this case', as the trial is expected to last two or three weeks.
The trial began nearly a year after the attempt, as U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, oversees the case amid a police search for Charlie Kirk's killer on Wednesday.