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Initial charges announced in court against man arrested in apparent Trump assassination

Jay H. Weaver, Miami Herald on

Published in Political News

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — An accused gunman who was arrested in an apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump at his golf course in West Palm Beach on Sunday has been charged initially with possessing a gun with a scrached-out serial number and with possessing a gun illegally as a felon — though more serious charges are likely pending.

Ryan W Routh, 58, made his first appearance in court Monday morning at the Paul G. Rogers Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in West Palm Beach, appearing before Judge Ryon M. McCabe.

Slender and with a full head of dyed-blonde hair, Routh wore a navy blue inmate uniform and cuffs on his wrists and ankles as he waited for the court to take up his case.

Routh, a North Carolina man living in Hawaii, was assigned a federal public defender after he told the judge that, while he has a job earning $3,000 a month, he has no money in the bank and owns no real estate. Speaking calmly and politely, he said he supports one adult son, age 25. He chatted before and during his hearing with a court-appointed defense attorney, Kristy Militello.

“From what I’m hearing, you have little to no assets,” the judge said to Routh.

 

Both charges levied against Routh — who has a prior criminal history from an incident more than 20 years ago in North Carolina in which he barricaded himself inside a building while wielding a gun — are felonies, carrying a combined maximum penalty of 20 years.

He has not yet been charged in relation to the apparent assassination attempt on Trump, though he is likely to eventually face charges of making threats against a former president, or against a candidate for president who is protected by the Secret Service.

Routh did not enter a plea. The judge set a bond hearing for Routh on Sept. 23. An arraignment is set for Sept. 30 should Routh be charged by a grand jury, at which time the defendant would enter his plea.

In the meantime, the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, which was represented in court on Monday by prosecutor Adam McMichael, wants to keep Routh in jail, citing the potential that he might flee and noting that he is accused of carrying a weapon illegally as a felon.


©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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