Ryan Routh beforehand requested delaying the trial till no less than December of 2025.
Florida Decide Aileen Cannon has delayed trial for Ryan Routh, the person suspected of trying to assassinate President-elect Donald Trump, from February to September of 2025.
In an order issued on Dec. 23, Cannon cited “substantial discovery” or the quantity of proof to evaluate earlier than trial.
Her order units up a sequence of pre-trial deadlines, resulting in a two-week trial interval starting on Sept. 8.
Routh’s attorneys had requested extending the trial date till no less than December 2025, which Cannon mentioned was “extreme.”
“Though discovery is substantial due largely to the excessive variety of digital gadgets seized on this case [many from Defendant himself], the schedule afforded beneath greater than accounts for evaluate of such gadgets and of discovery typically,” Cannon mentioned.
Her order famous that the Division of Justice (DOJ) filed a discovery response on Dec. 20, “transmitting what seems to be the entire excellent discovery … together with body-worn digital camera footage, current interviews, and extra jail communications.”
The U.S. Lawyer for the Southern District of Florida argued that was extreme and famous that most of the gadgets topic to discovery had been Routh’s personal.
Of the 18 cellphones the protection highlighted of their movement to delay, 17 belonged to the defendant, U.S. Lawyer John Shipley mentioned in a submitting to the court docket on Dec. 10.
“And whereas protection counsel will not be personally acquainted with these gadgets, the lion’s share of their contents possible has little relevance to any severe protection,” he mentioned.
Throughout the Dec. 11 standing convention, protection lawyer Kristy Militello mentioned Routh might have forgotten a few of the contents, which may additionally embrace info the protection attorneys had been unaware of.
Shipley’s submitting additionally cited the Crime Victims’ Rights Act, which offers victims a proper to proceedings free from unreasonable delay.
In her order, Cannon disagreed that the delay could be unreasonable beneath that regulation.
She additionally mentioned that “the pursuits of justice served by this continuance outweigh the very best curiosity of the general public and defendant in a speedy trial.”
On Dec. 11, Militello mentioned it may take months to interview specialists to judge Routh’s psychological well being. Cannon appeared skeptical and anxious that the court docket wanted a extra concrete or particular timeline for getting skilled enter.
The protection additionally mentioned it sought entry to Routh’s childhood college data in an obvious try and seize his psychological well being historical past.
Shipley criticized the concept the protection would wish to undergo decades-old college data.
“Madness is in the mean time of the crime,” Shipley mentioned, saying Routh was in a position to distinguish between proper and flawed on the time of the prison offense.
Earlier than the September trial date, the events have three pre-trial conferences scheduled for March 3, Aug. 8, and Sept. 2. Cannon additionally reserved Might 14–Might 15 for hearings on any unresolved pre-trial motions.
Cannon has overseen two circumstances involving Trump, together with his labeled paperwork case, which she dismissed in July over the legality of particular counsel Jack Smith’s appointment.
In October, she denied Routh’s movement for her recusal.
“I’ve by no means spoken to or met former President Trump besides in connection along with his required presence at an official judicial continuing, by way of counsel,” she acknowledged in her resolution.
Routh is at present being detained at a federal jail in Miami, Florida. The protection had raised issues in regards to the logistics of assembly with him, and Cannon’s order acknowledged that: “Defendant is on no account impeded from consulting with counsel throughout his pretrial detention.”
“Neither is there any foundation to consider that Defendant is hampered in his means to evaluate non-prohibited discovery supplies whereas in custody.”
Throughout the Dec. 11 listening to, the prosecution expressed concern about Routh doubtlessly tainting the jury pool with public statements defending himself.
In each Shipley’s file and on the listening to, the prosecution referenced a recorded telephone name Routh comprised of jail.
“In a recorded Oct. 15, 2024, name from FDC-Miami, for instance, Routh informed a member of the family that he seeks publicity to help his case at trial and to place out the phrase to jurors that he’s, in his view, an honorable individual,” Shipley’s submitting learn.
Cannon set June 13 because the due date for a joint report on jury choice procedures and proposals.
Jacob Burg contributed to this report.
