The sentencing of Ryan Wesley Routh, the man found guilty of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump in 2024, when the then-tycoon was seeking to return to the White House, was The trial was postponed until February 4, 2026, after the defendant requested the appointment of an attorney for this final phase of the legal process. The decision was made by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who accepted Routh's request and granted the postponement "to allow for adequate preparation," after the defendant waived his right to represent himself, as he had done throughout the trial. The sentencing was initially scheduled for this week.

“I, Ryan Wesley Routh, wish to revoke my current pro se (self-representation) status and kindly request an appointed attorney to assist me with the very important sentencing, as well as the important appeals process,” he stated in a court document obtained by the EFE news agency.

A trial marked by extreme episodes

Routh, 59, was found guilty last September on five federal charges, including one of the most serious crimes under U.S. law: the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate. According to the law, this charge can result in a life sentence. The events occurred on September 15, 2024, when Secret Service agents spotted the defendant armed with a semi-automatic rifle concealed in bushes at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. An agent testified during the trial that he saw Routh before Trump appeared on the golf course and that the defendant pointed the weapon in his direction, prompting the officer to open fire. Routh fled without firing and left the weapon at the scene, which facilitated his capture. In addition to attempted murder, the jury found him guilty of possession of a firearm to commit a violent crime.The charges against Routh included assaulting a federal agent, carrying a weapon while considered a criminal, and possessing a firearm with the serial number erased. The trial, which took place between September 11 and 23, was marked by unusual scenes. Routh dismissed his lawyers and decided to represent himself, despite the judge's warnings about the risks of that decision. During his testimony, he was interrupted several times for making out-of-context comments and extreme historical references. From the verdict to the sentencing postponement: The most tense moment occurred immediately after the jury delivered its verdict. Routh attempted to harm himself in the courtroom, trying to stab himself in the neck with a pen, which forced officers to quickly remove him from the courtroom. He was subsequently transferred under strict security measures.

After several months of self-representation, Routh decided to reverse his decision regarding sentencing and a potential appeals process.

The judge accepted the request, despite questioning the tone of some of his written submissions, and emphasized that she sought to guarantee respect for due process.

With the postponement until February, attention now focuses on the sentence that the federal court will impose.

If the maximum sentence is confirmed, Routh's case would become one of the most serious episodes of political violence tried in the United States in recent years, in a context marked by polarization and threats against public figures.

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