The 58-year-old Ryan Routh, charged for the assassination attempt on Donald Trump wrote a letter months earlier, expressing his intention to kill the former President, court filings revealed.
Letter of the assassination attempt suspect
Addressed to The World; “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump but I failed you. I tried my best and gave it all the gumption I could muster. It is up to you now to finish the job; and I will offer $150,000 to whomever can complete the job.” This is what the suspected Ryan Routh stated in a letter discovered by investigators in his home.
The letter was one among many placed in a box filled with “ammunition, a metal pipe, miscellaneous building materials, tools, four phones, and various letters.” Aside obsessive letters expressing his support of Ukraine, with criticism of the Chinese and Russian governments, notes were found revealing Routh´s relentless desire to bring an end to Donald Trump´s life.
US prosecutors included the notes in a court filing on September 23, charging the gunman with an attempted assassination of a major political candidate and two federal gun crime charges, including for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon. Routh has been in custody since September 15; prosecutors have argued that he remains in isolation, being at a risk of a flight and posing danger to the community.
Prosecutors also found a handwritten list of venues and dates of Trump´s events leading up to the 2024 Presidential election. On September 30, Routh is expected to plead guilty or not guilty to the charges.
Suspect could get away with it; Assassination attempt or preparation?
Despite the heavy charges, some experts argue that Routh could remain free, or, at least granted a shorter sentence.
US lawyer and political commentator, Alan Dershowitz explained to the Press that the case fails to provide sufficient evidence of Routh´s “attempt,” since no shots had been fired. “Based on my experience, I don’t think they have a case for attempted assassination…Criminal law distinguishes between preparation and attempt.”
He emphasised that although Routh´s actions were premeditated, as revealed by his notes and the secret armed surveillance of the former President at the Trump Golf Course, no shots had been fired. “He never had the president in his line of fire, and of course, he never pulled the trigger.”
Potentially driving opposing views, the case remains up to the court, which will have to question, as Dershowitz phrased it; “Whether or not preparing, putting your gun in a location, putting it through the link fence, but not getting the president in the line of sight and not pulling the trigger is enough to turn it from preparation to attempt, and the law is just unclear on that.”
