Federal prosecutors have requested an indefinite delay in scheduling the trial for Ryan Routh, the suspect in the assassination attempt on former President Trump, due to the vast amount of evidence gathered since his arrest. Prosecutors have asked for the case to be designated as “complex” in a filing on Wednesday, revealing the extensive investigation that spanned multiple states and involved hundreds of interviews, search warrants, and the seizure of hundreds of items of evidence. They have also noted that there are still outstanding subpoena returns pending and thousands of videos to review from the electronic devices seized, totaling approximately 4 million gigabytes of digital data to go through.
The FBI is continuing to conduct forensic tests on the evidence, including ballistic testing, fingerprint and DNA comparisons. The government is preparing several expert witnesses to testify in the case, given the amount of evidence collected. Due to the overwhelming volume of evidence, prosecutors have asked for the trial to be delayed indefinitely to allow time for both parties to review the discovery and determine which motions need to be filed. They have also requested for motion deadlines, calendar call, and trial date to be delayed indefinitely. Routh’s defense attorneys did not oppose this request, and he remains in custody facing attempted assassination charges as well as charges of possessing a gun illegally as a felon.
Routh pleaded not guilty in federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, after being charged with possessing a gun with a scratched-out number and possessing a gun illegally. On September 15, Routh was arrested after allegedly hiding in the bushes outside Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach with a rifle as Trump was playing. A Secret Service agent spotted the gun barrel and opened fire, leading to Routh fleeing the scene before being apprehended shortly after. The government is working diligently on the investigation, conducting thorough forensic testing and preparing expert witnesses for the trial.
The scope of the investigation includes hundreds of witnesses interviewed, multiple states involved, and the seizure of hundreds of items of evidence, including electronic devices with thousands of videos to review. The vast amount of digital data collected requires time for parties to go through and determine the necessary motions to file. Prosecutors have requested an indefinite delay in the trial to accommodate this process. Routh remains in custody facing charges related to the attempted assassination of former President Trump, and his defense attorneys have not opposed the delay in the trial date. The FBI is continuing its forensic tests on the evidence, including ballistic testing, fingerprint and DNA comparisons, to ensure a thorough investigation.
