Man accused of Trump assassination attempt returns to court, hopes to represent himself
Ryan Routh previously made the request earlier this month during a hearing in Fort Pierce before U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon. She did not rule during the hearing but said she would issue a written order later. But now Routh, 59, is set to be back in front of Cannon, a day after his court-appointed federal public defenders asked to be taken off the case.
Routh is scheduled to stand trial in September, a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted his attempt to shoot Trump as he played golf. Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.
The judge told Routh earlier this month that she doesn't intend to delay the Sept. 8 start date of his trial, even if she lets him represent himself. Routh, who has described the extent of his education as two years of college after earning his GED certificate, told Cannon that he understood and would be ready.
In a June 29 letter to Cannon, Routh said that he and his attorneys were 'a million miles apart' and that they were refusing to answer his questions. He also suggested in the same letter that he could be used in a prisoner exchange with Iran, China, North Korea or Russia.
'I could die being of some use and save all this court mess, but no one acts; perhaps you have the power to trade me away,' Routh wrote.
On Wednesday, the federal public defender's office filed a motion for termination of appointment of counsel, claiming that 'the attorney-client relationship is irreconcilably broken.' Attorneys said Routh refused to meet with them for a scheduled in-person meeting Tuesday morning at the federal detention centre in Miami. They said Routh has refused six attempts to meet with their team.
'It is clear that Mr. Routh wishes to represent himself, and he is within his Constitutional rights to make such a demand,' the motion said.
The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have a right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney.
Suspect in apparent Trump assassination attempt has long history of trouble with the law
Prosecutors have said Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15 at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh allegedly aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.
Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who prosecutors said informed officers that he saw a person fleeing. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witnesses confirmed it was the person he had seen, prosecutors have said.
Routh has another, unrelated hearing in Cannon's courtroom scheduled for Friday on the admissibility of certain evidence and testimony that can be used for the trial.
In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.
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B.C. man must pay $4,200 for ‘significant burn damage' to neighbours' hedge, fence: tribunal
A man who sparked a fire that engulfed his next-door neighbours' hedges and charred their fence has been ordered to pay $4,200 in damages. The blaze broke out in West Kelowna on Boxing Day 2023 – triggering a response form the local fire department and the RCMP, according to a recent decision from the Civil Resolution Tribunal. Terrance Molsberry and Susan Lobb filed a claim against Andrew Wingerak, alleging he 'set fire to their property,' and seeking reimbursement for the cost of replacing the burned hedges and fence, the decision said. It was 'undisputed' that Wingerak caused the fire, according to the decision. '(Wingerak) placed hot ashes along the fence dividing his property from the applicants'. He did so to kill weeds. The ashes caused the fence and hedges to catch fire,' tribunal member David Jiang wrote. The fire department responded to a 911 call from another neighbour who spotted the flames and put the blaze out with a garden hose. The decision said firefighters called in the police who looked into allegations the fire was set deliberately but were 'satisfied this was not the case.' However, the tribunal found Wingerak was liable for damages on the basis of negligence. 'I find that the respondent acted unreasonably by dumping hot ashes near the fence and hedges. This created a serious risk of harm to both property and people,' Jiang wrote. 'I am also satisfied that the respondent's actions caused damage, and that the damage was reasonably foreseeable. The hot ashes were clearly a fire hazard that could cause fire-related damage.' Molsberry and Lobb sought damages equivalent to a landscapers quoted cost for replacing three cedar trees and one fence panel, including the purchase of soil and rental of an excavator, according to the decision. Wingerak, on the other hand, argued the damage was relatively insignificant and repairing it would cost much less. A review of security camera photos ultimately weighed in favour of Molsberry and Lobb, the decision said. 'They show that that some of the applicants' tallest hedges caught fire and 'candled.' The depicted fire and smoke were considerable,' Jiang wrote. 'Photos of the fire's aftermath show the damaged hedges suffered significant burn damage. The wood fence also had blackened portions. The respondent says the damage was minimal, but the photos contradict this.' Wingerak was ordered to pay $4,222.05 in damages for negligence, as well as $175 in tribunal fees.
