Trial of man charged with attempting to assassinate Trump at golf course set to begin

FORT PIERCE, Florida — Opening statements are set to begin this morning for the trial of a man charged with trying to assassinate US President Donald Trump while he played golf in South Florida last year, when he was campaigning for a second term.

Ryan Routh is representing himself after US District Judge Aileen Cannon agreed to let him dismiss his court-appointed attorneys. They are, however, standing by in the courtroom if needed.

He has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and several firearm violations.

Until this week, Routh has appeared at hearings shackled at the wrists and ankles and dressed in a tan jail jumpsuit. But with jurors present, Routh has been unrestrained and dressed in a sports coat and tie. Cannon has said that Routh will be allowed to address jurors and witnesses from a podium, but he will not have free rein of the courtroom.

A panel of 12 jurors and four alternates was sworn in on Wednesday at the federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida. There are four white men, one Black man, six white women, and one Black woman on the jury, and the alternates are two white men and two white women. The panel was selected from a pool of 180 potential jurors.

The trial begins nearly a year after prosecutors say a US Secret Service agent thwarted his attempt to shoot the Republican presidential nominee. It’s expected to run another two or three weeks.