Federal prosecutors have requested an indefinite delay in the trial for Ryan Routh, the suspect in the second assassination attempt on former President Trump. They cited an enormous amount of evidence gathered since his arrest, noting that the investigation involved multiple states, hundreds of interviews, and hundreds of digital media for review. The government has interviewed hundreds of witnesses, executed numerous search warrants, and seized numerous electronic devices. They also have outstanding subpoena returns and thousands of videos that still need to be reviewed. The FBI is conducting forensic tests on evidence, including ballistic testing and fingerprint and DNA comparisons.
Due to the extensive amount of evidence collected, prosecutors asked the Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon to officially designate Routh’s case as “complex” and requested that the trial be delayed indefinitely. They also requested that motion deadlines, calendar call, and trial dates be delayed indefinitely to allow time for parties to review the discovery and determine which motions need to be filed. Routh’s defense attorneys did not oppose the request to delay the trial date. Routh is facing attempted assassination charges, as well as charges for possessing a gun with a scratched-out number and possessing a gun illegally as a felon.
Routh pleaded not guilty in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida. On September 15, he allegedly hid in the bushes outside Trump International Golf Club with a rifle as Trump was playing. A Secret Service agent spotted the gun barrel sticking out and opened fire. Routh then fled but was arrested shortly after. He was previously ordered by a federal judge to remain in custody. The evidence in the case includes a large volume of digital media, such as videos, still images, text files, and audio files, totaling approximately 4 million gigabytes of digital review to complete. The FBI is continuing to conduct forensic tests on evidence, including ballistic testing and fingerprint and DNA comparisons.
The request for an indefinite delay in the trial highlights the complexity of the case and the extensive investigation conducted by prosecutors. With the large volume of evidence to review, including electronic devices and digital media, as well as ongoing forensic tests, the prosecution needs additional time to prepare their case. The defense did not oppose the request for a delay, indicating that both parties recognize the need for adequate time to review the evidence and prepare for the trial. The request for a delay in setting motion deadlines, calendar call, and trial dates will allow both the prosecution and defense to thoroughly review the discovery and prepare accordingly.
