(NewsNation) — Ryan Routh, the suspect in the September 2024 attempted assassination of President Donald Trump, has requested the federal government cover pay and travel expenses for defense expert witnesses.
“As an indigent defendant I would please request pay and travel for expert witnesses,” his handwritten request stated in part. Routh also named three experts he wants financially covered.
Last month, Routh requested a new defense team for his case. His court-appointed federal public defenders had asked to be taken off the case, saying he had refused repeated attempts to meet with their team.
Routh is accused of staking out Trump for 12 hours on his golf course in Florida and allegedly wrote of his desire to kill him. Investigators say he pointed a rifle through a tree line on the golf course where Trump was playing.
He was charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer and attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
Routh pleaded not guilty to all the charges back in October 2024.
Prosecutors said Routh admitted to the scheme in a letter that he dropped off at the house of an unnamed witness several months before the alleged assassination attempt. The witness didn’t open the box until after Routh’s arrest.
Court documents also revealed that the box also contained ammunition, a metal pipe, “miscellaneous building materials,” tools, four phones and various letters.
NewsNation’s Rob Taub contributed to this story.