FORT PIERCE, FL – Federal prosecutors on Sept. 19 were poised to finish presenting their case in the trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump while he was running for reelection in 2024.

Special Agent Kimberly J. McGreevy of the FBI's Miami Division took the witness stand Sept. 18 to testify about the initial stages of the investigation and the numerous items taken into evidence following Routh's arrest. She is expected to return to the stand on Sept. 19. Prosecutors indicated that she will likely be the government's final witness.

Routh, who is representing himself, will then present his case to the jury.

Routh has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and multiple firearms violations. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.

The trial comes about a year after prosecutors say Routh methodically planned to assassinate Trump while the then-presidential candidate was playing golf. On Sept. 15, 2024, a U.S. Secret Service agent spotted the barrel of a rifle in the tree line at Trump International Golf Club and fired, leading the gunman to drop his weapon and flee, prosecutors said. Routh was arrested about 41 miles from the golf course.

What evidence has been presented against Ryan Routh?

Over two weeks, jurors have heard from a range of investigators, forensic experts and acquaintances of Routh, including two of his former employees.

Law enforcement, including the Secret Service agent who spotted the suspect in the tree line, described Routh's movements ahead of the shooting. Authorities said Routh traveled from his home in Hawaii to North Carolina before driving to Palm Beach in a car full of stolen license plates and cell phones. Routh had visited Trump's golf course about 17 times and tracked his plane, officials said.

This week, the jury heard from the Plata brothers, who worked for Routh's roofing company near Greensboro, North Carolina. Lazaro Plata said Routh left a box behind his home containing bullet cartridges, pipes, four cellular phones and other items. The box also reportedly included a 12-page letter in which Routh predicted that his assassination attempt would fail and offered $150,000 to the person who could successfully carry out the attack.

Jerry Llanes, a digital forensic data specialist from the FBI's Miami division, testified about anti-Trump text messages purportedly recovered from cell phones used by Routh.

"He needs to go away. He canceled JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) for Iran," Routh allegedly wrote in one message. "What an idiot."

In another message, Routh reportedly referred to Trump being "a big problem for Ukraine."

Routh has sought to portray himself as a benevolent and peaceful man, asking witnesses who know him personally if he's an angry person or has ever "gotten mad." This week, as the government wrapped up its case, Routh told Judge Aileen Cannon he plans to introduce character evidence to demonstrate his "peacefulness, gentleness and non-violence."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ryan Routh to present his case in Florida Trump assassination attempt trial

Reporting by Christopher Cann and Julius Whigham II, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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