Ryan Routh, the man who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a Florida golf course, has been sentenced to life in prison. The sentencing occurred on Wednesday, delivering closure to a case that had captured national attention.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon handed down the verdict in the very courtroom where Routh had previously attempted to take his own life in September. Prosecutors had requested a life sentence without parole, citing Routh’s refusal to express remorse or take responsibility for his actions. His defense attorney had sought a 27-year sentence, arguing that Routh, who is nearly 60, should have the opportunity to experience freedom again.
The Associated Press reports that in addition to life in prison, Routh received a consecutive seven-year sentence for a separate gun conviction. His sentencing had initially been set for December 2025 but was delayed after Routh chose to retain legal counsel instead of representing himself, as he had initially planned. This high-profile case drew immediate media attention, with major outlets like Fox News halting broadcasts for updates on the would-be assassin and analysis on his motives appearing in multiple investigative reports.
Prosecutors emphasized in their sentencing memorandum that Routh showed no acknowledgment of wrongdoing and posed a continuous threat to public safety. He was convicted on multiple charges, including attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, using a firearm in the commission of a crime, assaulting a federal officer, possessing a firearm as a felon, and using a gun with a defaced serial number. “Routh remains unrepentant for his crimes, never apologized for the lives he put at risk, and his life demonstrates near-total disregard for law,” the memo stated.
Routh’s lawyer, Martin Roth, had argued that a 20-year sentence, plus additional time for the gun charges, would be sufficient punishment. Roth wrote, “A just punishment would provide a sentence long enough to impose sufficient but not excessive punishment, and to allow defendant to experience freedom again as opposed to dying in prison.” Meanwhile, public interest in the case extended beyond the courtroom, with reports highlighting related Trump controversies involving the FBI and Epstein files keeping the story in headlines.
During the trial, prosecutors revealed that Routh had spent weeks planning the attack on Trump. On September 15, 2024, he aimed a rifle through the shrubbery at Trump while the former president was golfing at his West Palm Beach country club. Shortly before the sentencing, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Shipley told Judge Cannon, “American democracy does not work when individuals take it into their own hands to eliminate candidates. That’s what this individual tried to do.”
Routh himself tried to sway the court by reading a 20-page statement, claiming he “did everything I could and lived a good life,” but Judge Cannon interrupted, emphasizing the severity of his actions. “Your plot to kill was deliberate and evil,” she said. “You are not a peaceful man. You are not a good man.”
Despite his defense lawyer’s claims that Routh “chose not to pull the trigger” at the last moment and that he has a “good core,” the judge maintained that his pattern of criminal behavior warranted the harshest penalty. The sentence marks the conclusion of a case that underscored the risks posed by individuals targeting public officials and the importance of holding them fully accountable under the law. For deeper coverage on Trump-related legal and political controversies during this period, readers can explore Fox News’ extensive coverage of Trump interruptions.
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