Ryan Routh, the suspect in the second assassination attempt against President Donald Trump, asked the judge to suppress eyewitnesses in the case.
A key witness, referred to as T.C.M., identified Routh coming out of the golf course bushes, entering his vehicle, and fleeing. Routh’s attorneys filed a 13-page court filing in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, alleging the police were “impermissibly suggestive” when questioning T.C.M.
T.C.M. told police Routh dropped something black through the vehicle’s sunroof before entering. However, the automobile police pulled over was a 2007 black Nissan Xterra, which doesn’t have a sunroof, the defense argued.
The defense claimed that T.C.M. was under too much pressure from police, making his testimony unreliable.
The filing said the witness “had dozens of law enforcement from numerous state and federal agencies watching him, thousands of stranded pedestrians on the highway awaiting this airlift and show-up, and knowledge that his identification was necessary in a case involving presidential candidate Donald Trump.”
“All of these circumstances created a heightened pressure to make the identification,” read the filing. “It would not be difficult for any well-meaning individual to identify the one, and only, person law enforcement presented to them in this manner.”
The defense wrote that the witness identified Routh after being presented with a single picture.
Routh has pleaded not guilty to the attempted assassination of a presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. In December, he was charged with another felony attempted murder charge, with prosecutors arguing he was responsible for an accident that almost killed a young girl when police shut down traffic after he fled.
He faces life in prison if convicted.
Routh was accused of staking out at the sixth hole of Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, for 12 hours on Sept. 15, allegedly waiting for Trump to get in range so he could assassinate him. Secret Service agents located and fired upon Routh before he could get a shot off.
Routh was arrested shortly after fleeing the scene.
RYAN ROUTH FACES NEW MURDER CHARGE IN TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
At the scene, authorities found a digital camera, apparently to record the assassination, two bags, and a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope.
Routh had an extensive social media history of criticism of Trump over his stance on the war in Ukraine and because he believed the former president was a threat to democracy.
This article was originally published at www.washingtonexaminer.com
