(Ken Silva, Headline USA) Alleged failed assassin Ryan Routh was set to stand trial in February for allegedly trying to shoot Donald Trump at his Florida golf course, but his attorneys have asked for at least a 10-month delay due to the massive amounts of evidence in the case—the bulk of which Routh has yet to review.
In a Sunday court filing, Routh’s attorneys said they’ve received two terabytes of data in the form of large digital downloads from phones, tablets, electronic disks, and computers.
The data is largely comprised of Routh’s online digital footprint, as well as surveillance footage from Routh’s alleged Sept. 15 assassination attempt. Interestingly, Routh’s filing also revealed that the FBI took a footprint during its investigation that doesn’t match Routh’s—what lawyers said could be exculpatory evidence.
2nd failed Trump assassin Ryan Routh has asked to delay his trial from Feb. to at least Dec. 2025 due to massive volume of discovery.
This was to be expected; what's interested is what's in the discovery: 2 TBs of data, records from 5 cell phone companies — AND apparently the… pic.twitter.com/1ezaJHeG13— Ken Silva (@JD_Cashless) December 9, 2024
According to the court filing, an FBI Laboratory analyst in Quantico, Virginia (not listed as a Federal found that a footprint collected “does not correspond in outsole or tread design with the submitted footwear (shoes from Ryan Routh) or images of the tires (from Ryan Routh’s vehicle).” The court filing doesn’t provide any additional details about where the print was found.
Additionally, Routh’s attorneys noted the difficulty they’ve had communicating with their client. It takes hours to drive to his jail cell, and federal prison officials have taken over an hour to bring Routh from his jail cell to the visitation area. Routh is also prohibited from holding video calls with his attorneys. And while they can email each other, the government is reading those messages.
“These logistical difficulties require the defense to have substantially more time than usual to prepare Mr. Routh and his case for trial,” his attorneys said.
“A trial date of December 2025 affords the defense approximately one year from the start of the receipt of discovery to prepare and is in keeping with the scheduling of large cases in this district, which are often set one-year out for trial,” they said.
The Justice Department has until Tuesday to respond to Routh’s attorneys, and the matter will be discussed at a Wednesday status hearing.
Prosecutors have accused Routh, 58, of Hawaii, of stalking Trump for a month before he built a sniper’s nest near the Trump International golf course in West Palm Beach.
Federal prosecutors charged Routh with possession of a firearm by a felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, and attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
Routh has pleaded not guilty.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at x.com/jd_cashless.
