Ryan Wesley Routh, the 58-year-old suspect in the recent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, appeared calm and even laughed during his initial court appearance on Monday.
The hearing, which lasted less than 10 minutes, took place at the Paul G Rogers federal courthouse, where Routh faced charges related to the shocking incident at Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course.
Dressed in navy blue overalls and still wearing his sunglasses, Routh was seen smiling and laughing with his lawyer, federal public defender Kristy Militello, before the proceedings began.
Bodycam footage of Routh’s arrest was released by authorities. Take a look —
🚨BREAKING: The Martin County Sheriff has just released bodycam footage of the arrest of would-be Trump assassin and Democrat donor, Ryan Wesley Routh. pic.twitter.com/L3YrvALEWl
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) September 16, 2024
Routh faces two serious firearms charges: possession of a firearm by a prohibited person (as a convicted felon) and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.
The first charge carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, while the latter could result in up to five years. Both charges also come with potential fines of up to $250,000.
During the hearing, Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe unsealed the criminal complaint and set a pretrial detention hearing for the following Monday, with an arraignment scheduled for September 30.
Prosecutor Adam Craig McMichael argued for Routh’s detention, citing him as a flight risk and a danger to the community.
The court appearance provided a glimpse into Routh’s financial situation. He told the court that he earns $3,000 a month, owns two trucks in Hawaii, and has one dependent, his 25-year-old son.
When asked about other valuable possessions, Routh simply replied, “No, nothing.”
Officials allege that Routh hid in bushes surrounding Trump’s golf course and pointed an AK-47 style rifle with a scope at the former president, who was approximately 400 yards away. Authorities revealed that Routh had mounted a GoPro camera on the fence, apparently intent on filming the would-be bloody assassination.
This marks the second apparent assassination attempt on Trump in just three months, following a July incident in Pennsylvania where a bullet grazed the former president’s ear during a rally.
As the case unfolds, questions have been raised about how Routh knew Trump’s schedule. Chris Swecker, a retired FBI assistant director, called the possibility of inside information “scary” and indicated that federal investigators would be probing this aspect of the case.