Aileen Cannon’s courtroom for a closely watched trial. That’s because Ryan Wesley Routh was just convicted for the second time of trying to kill then-President Donald Trump. The high-profile trial played out at the vivid palm tree-studded grounds of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Routh’s actions raised important security issues. Cannon, who was appointed by Trump, has emerged as a leading figure in this high-stakes case. She oversaw a detailed review of the evidence and collected thousands of pages of witness statements.
The riveting trial lasted seven days with 38 witnesses taking the stand. Federal prosecutors, led by the no-nonsense Christopher Browne, made their closing arguments to the jury. Browne emphasized the seriousness of Routh’s actions, stating, “It is not every case where the defendant writes his intent down on a piece of paper.” This reference underscored the gravity of the situation, as Routh had reportedly documented his intentions in a note stating, “This was an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.”
At every turn for the past six weeks, Cannon has exercised extraordinarily tight control over the courtroom. She demanded recesses at crucial times and held Routh’s defense tightly to the parameters laid out for an insanity defense. At one stage, she stopped Routh’s jury-shocking monologue, chastising him for breaking the confines of the case. Cannon’s insistence on courtroom decorum was evident when she declared that Routh’s questions were “far outside the bounds” of acceptable inquiry.
Routh tried to cross examine his own ballistics expert, Michael McClay. At first, Cannon said she wasn’t allowing it but later allowed it. On the day of her swearing in, she told public defenders to remain on alert. Concurrently, she ordered Routh not to meet with any potential trial witnesses away from court. Routh contended that his court appointed attorneys were “a million miles away” from his defense strategy. Cannon ruled against his request to represent himself.
During the trial, Cannon went to great lengths to ensure that frontline processes and protocols were being upheld. She wanted to know if Routh was given sufficient time to deliberate on these critical decisions related to representation and strategy. To this, Routh responded, “A year,” showing that he has been thinking about the issue for a long time.
As the jury deliberated, Cannon oversaw the process with diligence. Her role in the case doesn’t stop with the guilty verdict. Most significantly, she will guide Routh’s sentencing proceedings, where he could be sentenced to life in prison.
This is not the first time that Cannon has made national news, having dismissed charges against Trump for mishandling classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. As she artfully prosecutes high-impact, high-profile cases, she often finds herself in the spotlight. Her mastery of complicated legal currents related to former officials and grave charges is truly astounding.