### Ryan Routh Pleads Not Guilty to Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump

In a federal court in West Palm Beach, Florida, Ryan Routh entered a not guilty plea to charges including the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. The plea was made during an arraignment hearing on Monday. Dressed in khaki prison attire and shackled, Routh addressed Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, confirming his understanding of the charges by responding, "Yes, your honor."

Routh's attorney, Kristy Militello, an assistant federal public defender, informed the judge that her client was pleading not guilty and requested a jury trial. The charges against Routh go beyond the attempted assassination; he is also accused of four additional crimes: possessing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime, assaulting a federal officer, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and obliteration of a firearm's serial number. If convicted of the attempted assassination, Routh could face life imprisonment.

The incident leading to Routh's arrest occurred two weeks ago, when prosecutors claim he tried to assassinate Trump while the former president was golfing at his West Palm Beach club. A Secret Service agent reportedly saw a gun barrel sticking out from the bushes and fired several shots. A witness who saw Routh flee the scene managed to take a photo of his vehicle, which subsequently aided in his arrest.

Investigators used cell tower records to track Routh's movements, showing that he arrived in Florida a month before the incident and spent time near the golf course and Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence. Prosecutors also presented a letter written by Routh months before his arrest in which he expressed his intent to assassinate Trump.

During a hearing last week, Militello argued that other statements in the letter and Routh's seemingly incompetent efforts—such as attaching a scope to his rifle using electrical tape—suggested that he might have intended to fail. Militello characterized the act as "perhaps more of a publicity stunt than anything."