The suspect in the second Trump would-be assassination attempt, Ryan Wesley Routh, laughed and smiled during his first court appearance.
According to Fox News, Routh walked into court, laughing three or four times as he spoke to his attorney.
The information comes from the outlet’s observances, as no cameras were permitted inside the hearing.
Routh has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional charges may be filed against him as the investigation continues.
The 58-year-old faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the first charge and up to 5 years if convicted on the second.
U.S. Attorney Adam McMichael asked that Routh remain in custody, saying the suspect is a pre-trial flight risk.
Routh’s detention hearing is scheduled for September 23, and the probable cause hearing is set for September 30.
According to the affidavit shared on X by independent journalist Kyle Becker, Routh was seen “fleeing the area of the tree line” after a Secret Service agent spotted his rifle. A “digital camera, two (2) bags, including a backpack, a loaded SKS-style 7.62×39 caliber rifle with a scope, and a black plastic bag containing food” were discovered in the area of the tree line, the document reads.
