By The Opinion
Dec 18, 2024, 7:32 PM EST
Florida authorities announced this Wednesday that They will file their own prosecution against the man accused by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office of trying to assassinate President-elect Donald Trumpfollowing a traffic accident that occurred after being captured by the Police.
State Attorney Ashley Moody announced that An arrest warrant has been issued for Ryan Routh.who is detained and faces five federal charges after allegedly trying to shoot the former president (2017-2021) last September, when he was a candidate.
As Moody explained in a press conference, the accusation by the state of Florida is motivated by a traffic accident in which a six-year-old girl was “seriously injured”after the closure of an interstate highway when state and federal agents detained Routh, who moments before had fled.
Moody said the injuries suffered by the girl in the traffic accident, which involved multiple vehicles, plus Routh’s alleged criminal conduct allow the State Attorney’s Office to pursue a felony attempted murder charge.
The prosecutor at the same time regretted that the Government will try to block Florida’s efforts and will not cooperate sufficiently during the preparation of this state accusation.
Shortly after Routh was arrested, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued an executive order in which he ordered state agencies to begin their own parallel investigation and, if appropriate, the Prosecutor’s Office to present the most serious charges in accordance with the laws. state.
On September 30, Routh pleaded not guilty to the five charges he faces.including attempted murder of a major presidential candidate, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, and assault on a federal official.
The 58-year-old man was arrested on September 15 at a Florida golf course owned by former President Trump (2017-2021), where a Secret Service agent discovered him armed with a semi-automatic rifle hidden behind a row of bushes.
After being spotted, he fled the scene but was arrested the same day of the events. He has also been charged with possession of a firearm and another with a defaced serial number in connection with the attempted murder.
Routh’s lawyers, who faces a maximum penalty of life in prison if convictedrequested last week that the start of the trial be postponed until December 2025, in view of the volume of evidence to be analyzed.
The start of Routh’s trial in a federal court in Fort Pierce was set for February 10, but the magistrate in charge of the case, Aileen Cannon, has indicated that she will rule on the defense’s request for a postponement.
Keep reading:
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