Ryan Routh sentenced to life in prison for Trump assassination attempt
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Ryan Routh holds a poster during a rally in Ukraine. Photo: Hennadii Minchenko/ Ukrinform/Future Publishing via Getty Images
Ryan Routh, the man found guilty of trying to assassinate President Trump at his Florida golf course ahead of the 2024 election, was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday, the Department of Justice announced.
The big picture: Routh's attempt on Trump's life — the second in the span of months — was a part of a series of high-profile incidents of political violence that rocked the country.
Context: Prosecutors asked U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon for a life sentence.
- "Routh's crimes undeniably warrant a life sentence—he took steps over the course of months to assassinate a major Presidential candidate, demonstrated the will to kill anybody in the way, and has since expressed neither regret nor remorse to his victims," the government argued.
Catch up quick: A jury convicted Routh last September, roughly a year after a Secret Service agent spotted him pointing a gun through the tree line at one of the president's golf courses.
- Prosecutors said he "plotted painstakingly" to kill Trump but was thwarted by an agent who noticed him before he could fire a shot.
- At trial, they cited Routh's lengthy travel to South Florida, research about Trump's whereabouts and a handwritten letter that stated "this was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump," among other evidence.
Zoom out: Routh opted to represent himself during the trial, but received an attorney for sentencing. He argued in a legal filing for a sentence of 27 years in prison.
- In a letter to Cannon submitted ahead of sentencing, Routh's sister expressed regret for his courtroom outbursts and "inappropriate filings." She added that he's "not a typical person, and not a typical inmate."
- She urged the court to take steps to facilitate Routh's need for counseling and mental heath care.
What they're saying: "Ryan Routh's heinous attempted assassination of President Trump was not only an attack on our President — it was a direct assault against our entire democratic system," Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in a statement.
- "Thanks to our prosecutors in the National Security Division and the Southern District of Florida, Routh will never walk free again."
Go deeper: Man accused of Trump assassination attempt heads to trial. Here's what to know
Editor's note: This story has been updated with details from a DOJ release.
