FORT PIERCE, Fla (NewsNation) — Prosecutors and a man accused of trying to assassinate President Donald Trump presented closing arguments Tuesday, and jurors have began deliberating.
Ryan Routh, accused of trying to kill then-candidate Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach country club last year, has represented himself in the trial.
In its nearly 90-minute statement, the prosecution went through each count for the jury, asked them to use “common sense” in convicting, hammered home the alleged months-long plan by Routh to kill Trump and told jurors, “Don’t let him off the hook because he didn’t fire a shot.”
Routh’s statement focused on the argument that he is kind and gentle, incapable of killing a person. The prosecution objected several times during his closing, and the judge sent the jury out of the room when Routh attempted to introduce evidence.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.
After the arguments conclude, the case will go to the jury.
Jury members will have access to a computer with all the evidence presented in the case. If they need to reexamine the rifle or the bullet they were shown earlier in the trial, they’ll need to send a note and return to the courtroom.
Routh faces life in prison if he is found guilty.
Routh appeared frustrated during Monday’s testimony when U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon and the prosecution repeatedly objected to his questioning of three defense witnesses. Routh did not testify in his own defense.
Cannon has warned Routh that his closing arguments could be cut short Tuesday if he doesn’t follow the rules or decides to approach it as a pseudo-testimony.
Attorneys told NewsNation they expect a verdict Tuesday.
NewsNation’s Sean Noone, Anna Kutz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.