Trump assassination attempt: Man accused of targeting former president pleads not guilty

Days after being charged with trying to assassinate former President Donald Trump, the accused gunman pleaded not guilty to the federal charges he faces.

Ryan Wesley Routh was in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday to answer to the charges, The Associated Press reported.

Officials said Routh spent 12 hours outside of Trump’s golf course on Sept. 15 with a rifle sticking through the fence line at the golf course a few holes ahead of where Trump had been playing. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh and fired in his direction. Roush left the scene and was later arrested, the AP reported.

Routh never opened fire on Trump and did not have the former president in his line of sight, CNN reported. Prosecutors said Trump was minutes away from being in Routh’s view.

Officials said Routh left behind a camera, backpack, a loaded SKS-style rifle with scope and a bag of food.

He had shared his intention to kill Trump writing a note that offered $150,000 for anyone who could “finish the job,” saying that his attempt on Trump’s life was botched. The letter was given to an unidentified person months before the Sept. 15 assassination attempt.

Routh also called for Trump’s death in a self-published book which told Iran, “You are free to assassinate Trump as well as me for that error in judgment and the dismantling of” the Iran nuclear deal, CNN reported.

Routh was first charged with gun offenses, but prosecutors presented their case for more charges in front of a grand jury.

The initial charges were illegally possessing a gun by a felon and having a weapon with an obliterated serial number. The additional charges include an assassination attempt and assaulting an officer, CNN reported.

In all Routh faces five charges, Fox News reported.

Routh’s defense requested a jury trial which will be heard by Judge Aileen Cannon. Cannon’s assignment to the case was random, CNN reported, but she was the judge assigned to Trump’s classified documents case which she dismissed earlier this year.

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