Ryan Routh, who finds himself in deep waters following allegations of attempting to shoot Donald Trump at one of his golf courses last year, has just hit a big bump in his legal journey. A federal judge literally closed the door on him regarding access to important classified information concerning his criminal case. This was all initiated on Friday when the judge made it clear that revealing such info was off the table for ‘national security’ reasons.
In a brief ruling, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon clarified her stance, stating, “Its disclosure could cause serious damage or exceptionally grave damages.” She gave the thumbs up to the government to keep that info under wraps.
The arguments began earlier this year, held behind closed doors, with the Justice Department filing a sealed motion. They hammered home the message that the classified information implicated various situations as per the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA). They were asked for specifics about what the files cover after citing them might be relevant in the case during a hearing back on March 7, as per court records.
For true crime enthusiasts! Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to get the latest real-life crime stories delivered to your inbox.
The DOJ made it clear that CIPA is meant to strike a balance between a defendant’s right to access potentially helpful evidence and the government’s need to keep national security confidential. This isn’t just a legal technicality; it’s a crucial part of keeping sensitive information secure.
In an earlier filing, they brought up how the Supreme Court acknowledges the significance of keeping government secrets secret. The Defense will sometimes get materials for their case, but those should assist in building a defense against the specific charges at hand. As noted by Judge Cannon, there was enough justification from the DOJ to say this stuff was indeed classified.
“The court confirms the U.S. fully invoked the provisions of CIPA, alongside showcasing its classified information privileges as it pertains to the mentioned materials,” Judge Cannon ruled. The U.S. motion and related documents have been sealed and will be kept secure according to tight court protocols until they might be necessary for appeal.
Catch more hot takes on Law&Crime: ‘You won’t get to see the end of your f—ing term’: Trump assassination threat suspect vowed POTUS, AG would get ‘bullet to the head,’ feds say
Routh, aged 59, is gearing up for a court showdown in September after pleading not guilty to an array of allegations, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer, and a bunch of gun-related infractions. In a surprising twist, he asked Judge Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, if he could sideline his public defenders and opt for self-representation – a call that has federal prosecutors worried his trial might turn into a chaotic spectacle.
On July 23, Routh tried to get all legal ninja on the case, throwing in a self-submitted response against a DOJ motion from earlier in the month. That instruction requested that irrelevant and prejudicial evidence proposed by the defense gets the boot, while allowing some evidence into trial, such as texts from his ex-employee, Tina Cooper, who is already in hot water, pleading guilty in North Carolina to conspiracy charges regarding illegal firearm procurement with Routh.
The DOJ came swinging back, contesting Routh’s various erroneous statements in his rebuttals, including addressing an interesting point about what information they had provided him with thus far. They stressed the importance of ensuring that the trial remains focused and not thrown off by irrelevant nonsense that doesn’t relate to the actual charges.
Besides the attempted assassination story, charges against Routh also include owning a firearm as a convicted felon and possessing a weapon with a wiped-off serial number – charges that may carry up to 15 years and 5 years in prison respectively if the jury decides to convict. The Department of Justice made the disturbing revelation that two individuals helped him in illegally securing the weapon used, an SKS rifle, which he allegedly took to Trump International Golf Club where it all went down, according to prosecutors.
Routh’s ongoing defense strategy has been quirky, dotting it with mentions of the “new DOJ, Trump, Bondi,” sifting through using various controversial statements in a filing implying overreach by the prosecution to mute his defense?
The government anticipates that Routh will roll out self-published texts and other writings to back his claims throughout the proceedings. However, the DOJ is barking back – suggesting this will derail the focus of the trial as it may navigate into repairable clutter not pertinent to the charges.
Going back to their argument, the prosecutors clarify tall the claims made lack real merit.
The post ‘Its disclosure could cause serious damage’: Judge Cannon shields ‘classified’ info from Trump assassination attempt suspect, gives DOJ approval to protect it first appeared on Law & Crime
