The trial of a man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump while he played golf is due to begin today.
Ryan Routh, 59, was arrested after a rifle was seen poking through bushes at Mr Trump‘s West Palm Beach golf course in Florida on 15 September last year.
The incident occurred weeks after a bullet grazed the president’s ear in another assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Routh, who faces the prospect of life in prison, has pleaded not guilty to all five charges against him. He has also opted to defend himself in court – an unusual move that legal experts say could add an unpredictable element to the trial.
Here is all you need to know as legal proceedings begin in Fort Pierce, Florida.
What did Routh allegedly do?
Prosecutors allege Routh, a construction worker from North Carolina, was “lying in wait” with a rifle near the sixth hole of the Florida golf course when Mr Trump was playing.
A Secret Service agent, who was patrolling the course ahead of Mr Trump, spotted a rifle barrel coming out of a perimeter fence.
After seeing Routh, the agent opened fire, causing him to flee the scene in a black Nissan SUV. He was later arrested on a motorway about 46 miles from the golf course.
Mr Trump was uninjured in the incident, and there is no evidence that Routh fired his weapon at the golf course.
Months before his arrest, Routh allegedly wrote a note signalling his intention to kill the president.
The note, which was left in a box at the house of an unidentified person, was headlined “Dear World” and allegedly said: “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you.”
A handwritten list of dates and locations where Mr Trump was expected to be was also found on him, according to prosecutors.
What are the charges?
Routh is facing five felony counts in relation to the alleged assassination attempt. They include:
• Attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate;
• Possessing a firearm to carry out a violent crime;
• Assaulting a federal officer;
• Felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition;
• Possession of a firearm with an obliterated (removed) serial number.
In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.
How will the trial unfold?
The trial will begin on 8 September with the selection of the jury. Lawyers aim to find 12 jurors and four alternates, with the process expected to last three days.
Opening statements are then scheduled to begin on Thursday 11 September, and prosecutors will begin their case immediately after that.
Prosecutors will have to convince a jury that Routh both intended to kill Mr Trump and took a substantial step toward doing so.
Mr Trump is not expected to attend court or give evidence.
The court has scheduled four weeks for the trial, but lawyers expect it will not last that long.
Why is Routh defending himself?
Routh, who has no formal legal training, is set to deliver opening and closing statements, question witnesses and present evidence on his own behalf.
In a letter to US district judge, Aileen Cannon, Routh said it was “ridiculous” to consider a “random stranger that knows nothing of who I am to speak for me”.
He added: “Best I walk alone.”
Routh’s two former lawyers will serve as “standby counsel,” where they can provide him with advice if called upon. He will also face strict limits on his ability to deliver political or ideological arguments at trial.
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Criminal defendants have a legal right to self-representation, but experts say Routh’s decision increases the chance of legal risks.
“If his sole goal is to be acquitted, then his chances probably go down,” Erica Hashimoto, a law professor at Georgetown University, said.
“If he has something else that he’s trying to do by going to trial, then representing himself may be the only way to do that.”
Who is the judge?
District judge Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Mr Trump during his first term, is presiding over the case.
She also oversaw the criminal case accusing Mr Trump of illegally holding onto classified documents, a case which she threw out, to the consternation of Trump critics.
Ms Cannon has already ruled that some of Routh’s prior writings, which he sought to show the jury, cannot be presented as evidence.
She has also ordered against him using witness testimony as a “tool for calculated chaos”.
It comes as Routh previously suggested trading himself for a prisoner held by China or Iran, and unsuccessfully attempted to subpoena (order to court) Mr Trump himself, according to The New York Times.
