Ryan Routh Assassination Charge ‘Open and Shut Case’—Legal Expert

The man who attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump will likely face life in prison, a former prosecutor believes, saying that the defense faces an uphill battle to prove his innocence.
“Based on what has been released, there is significant evidence that – not only did he plan this for a very long time – but he took what is called a ‘substantial step’ toward carrying out this plan,” Katie Cherkasky told Fox News on Wednesday morning. “So it seems like a very open and shut case on the factual side of things.”
On Tuesday, a federal grand jury in Florida charged Routh with attempting to assassinate the former president at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach on September 15.
The latest count is in addition to the three firearms-related charges Routh faces, alongside one of assaulting a federal officer, at whom Routh reportedly aimed his assault weapon.
Taken together, Cherkasky said that the charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.
“Violence targeting public officials endangers everything our country stands for, and the Department of Justice will use every available tool to hold Ryan Routh accountable for the attempted assassination of former President Trump charged in the indictment,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said following the indictment. “The Justice Department will not tolerate violence that strikes at the heart of our democracy, and we will find and hold accountable those who perpetrate it. This must stop.”
Cherkasky, who was formerly a federal prosecutor and now works as a criminal defense attorney, cited the letter released by the Department of Justice, as evidence of the level of preparation Routh took before carrying out his plan.
In the letter, reportedly penned by Routh and given to an acquaintance months before September 15, he outlined the motives behind the assassination attempt, apologized in advance should he have failed, and offered a $150,000 reward “to whomever can complete the job.”
On Tuesday, former Attorney General William Barr told Fox News that he was “dumbfounded” at the decision of the DOJ to release the letter, which he said served no purpose “other than to risk inciting further violence.”
Concurring with Barr, Cherkasky called the decision a “misguided call,” given the developing nature of the case.
Routh has so far not entered a plea for any of the charges on which he is being held, and Cherkasky believes his lawyers will enter a not-guilty plea, while awaiting any potential inadequacies in the prosecution’s case that could detract from some of the charges.
“It seems like the Feds have a very rock solid case,” she said. “But of course there’s going to be defenses raised in any case. That could involve things like the conduct of the investigation, the prosecutors, if there’s things that go wrong along the way that weaken the prosecution’s case, perhaps that gives [the defense] some sort of negotiating stance.”
Responding to a Fox News host’s skepticism over Routh acting alone on September 15, she said that there is so far no evidence of other individuals conspiring to assassinate Trump, but added that further investigations could yield more information about the suspect’s potential associates.
Routh has been held at a detention center in South Florida since his arrest, will remain in jail without bond pending trial per the orders of U.S. Magistrate Judge Ryon McCabe, and will be in court for an arraignment hearing on Monday.
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