Following his conviction for attempting to assassinate Donald Trump at a Florida golf course, Ryan Routh, 59, tried to harm himself by stabbing his neck with a pen. Routh had made multiple visits to Trump’s West Palm Beach golf course before hiding in the bushes with a rifle as the President’s golfing party approached. Charged with five criminal offenses, including attempting to kill a major presidential candidate and assaulting a Secret Service agent, Routh now faces a potential life sentence.

Upon hearing the guilty verdict, Routh attempted self-harm with a pen but was promptly stopped by US Marshals. His daughter, Sara Routh, reacted emotionally in the courtroom, expressing disbelief and frustration at the outcome. Prosecutors highlighted Routh’s detailed planning for the assassination plot, which involved acquiring a military-grade weapon, monitoring Trump’s movements, and using multiple burner phones.

The incident occurred just nine weeks after another attempt on Trump’s life at a rally in Pennsylvania, where the President was shot in the ear by a 20-year-old assailant who was subsequently neutralized by Secret Service counter-snipers.

Attorney General Pamela Bondi, a former defense lawyer for Trump, commended the guilty verdict as a demonstration of the Department of Justice’s stance against political violence. Routh, a construction worker without legal expertise, chose to represent himself in court, presenting an unconventional and erratic defense strategy. His proposal for a golf match to determine his fate with Trump was dismissed by the judge, who criticized his courtroom behavior and irrelevant questioning during jury selection.

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