A federal judge in Florida has once again denied a motion by a local man, Ryan Routh, seeking to limit the scope of his criminal prosecution for allegedly attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump last year at one of his golf courses. This time, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon rejected a motion to suppress an out-of-court witness identification, just days after denying a motion to dismiss some of the charges against Routh.
Judge Cannon, a Trump appointee, issued an order on Saturday denying Routh’s motion to suppress a “show-up” witness identification that occurred shortly after the alleged assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
A “show-up” witness identification is a procedure where police present a single suspect or photograph to a witness for identification shortly after a crime, contrasting with a lineup that includes multiple individuals.
Routh faces a five-count federal indictment, including charges of attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, and assault of a federal officer. In April, he sought to dismiss two counts related to possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number and illegally owning a firearm as a convicted felon, citing a prior conviction for possession of dynamite and arguing the charges violated his Second Amendment rights. Judge Cannon denied this motion on May 22.
In her Saturday ruling, Judge Cannon criticized Routh for failing to adequately justify his argument for suppression and the need for an evidentiary hearing on the identification. She noted that his motion lacked critical factual details, containing only a “conclusory, speculative, and indefinite line” suggesting a hearing would be helpful to resolve disputed facts.
Routh’s public defenders contended that the witness identification was “unduly suggestive” due to the “highly-controlled” environment in which it was conducted, thereby violating Routh’s due process rights. They also argued that a subsequent photo presentation was problematic, though prosecutors are not seeking to introduce evidence of that presentation at trial.
According to previous reports by Law&Crime, Routh was arrested in Florida in September 2024 after a Secret Service agent allegedly spotted him with a rifle near the 6th hole putting green at Trump International Golf Club as the former president was golfing one hole away. The agent fired a shot, prompting Routh to flee.
Police reported that a witness identified Routh after seeing him emerge from the woods, stating they were “99.9 percent” sure Routh was the suspect. Routh’s lawyers argued in their April 7 motion that the “show-up identification procedure” was flawed due to the transportation of the eyewitness by helicopter to a closed section of I-95 and the presentation of Routh in handcuffs as the sole option, followed by the FBI showing a single photograph of Routh. They argued these tactics could predispose any civilian to make a positive identification.
Judge Cannon disagreed, stating that police “acted promptly” and provided “careful warnings” to the witness, indicating they should not feel pressured, that the individual might not be the person seen fleeing, and that the investigation would continue regardless of the identification. She concluded that these actions did not unconstitutionally increase the suggestiveness of the show-up. Furthermore, she found that while Routh cited specific circumstances like the high number of officers, the highway location, handcuffs, and helicopter transport, he did not provide sufficient legal precedent to warrant a different conclusion on suggestiveness than those reached by other courts in similar cases.
Routh has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. He also faces state charges, including attempted first-degree murder and terrorism. If convicted in the federal case, he could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.
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