Prosecutors moving quickly in trial of Trump’s alleged would-be assassin

CNN As the federal criminal trial for Ryan Routh enters its second week the man charged with trying to assassinate then-candidate Donald Trump last year is getting closer to calling his first witness The US attorneys prosecuting Routh expect to rest their scenario by the end of the week and Judge Aileen Cannon has informed Routh to have his onlookers ready to take the stand starting Friday Routh dressed in civilian clothes in court has chosen to represent himself as he faces life in prison Routh is expected to call at least four bystanders including a family member and former Marine sniper who test-fired the SKS Soviet-made rifle ascertained at the scene of Trump s golf club in West Palm Beach Florida on September Routh faces five charges including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate assaulting a federal officer possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number Officers say the -year-old Routh created a sniper s nest near the sixth hole of the Trump International Golf Club and was camped out at least hours waiting to fire upon Trump A Secret Utility agent says he spotted Routh and the barrel of his rifle poking through the fence when Trump was one hole away Prosecutors have argued that Routh made the choice to assassinate Trump in a plot that was thoroughly crafted and deadly serious The executive cited numerous aliases Routh had allegedly used as well as the discovery of a gear list Routh allegedly wrote It was a list of reminders including diapers and spray self with bug spray In the first two days of testimony prosecutors called spectators The trial is moving at a much faster clip than expected given that Routh is representing himself and has spent just minutes cross-examining the regime s bystanders In fact prosecutors ran out of viewers on Friday and court was forced to end early Routh got off to a rocky start just minutes into his opening comment As he rambled about genocide and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Russian leader Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler Cannon interrupted him warning she has limited patience and he was not to make a mockery of this courtroom Moments later she cut him off All right Mr Routh that will conclude your opening comment He apologized and took his seat The cabinet s first witness Secret Function agent Robert Fercano described being just feet away from Routh at the golf lesson telling the jury how Routh smiled and groaned before fleeing Routh began his brief cross-examination of Fercano who now works for the Department of Homeland Precaution by saying Good to see you sir Is it good to be alive I m sure your family is happy you re alive and well Eyewitness Tommy McGee also testified for the cabinet He notified the jury he saw a frantic and disheveled man leaving the scene and decided to follow him He took pictures of the man s black Nissan Xterra and wrote down his license plate number McGee alerted officials who stopped Routh s car about minutes north on Highway McGee later was brought to the scene to ID Routh On cross-examination Routh advised McGee You re a good man You re my hero You re an American hero He then requested Are you a Trump supporter which was stricken from record FBI agent Catherine Rose offered the jury a firsthand look at what investigators say they identified at Routh s perch in the bushes Prosecutors had Rose show the jury the rifle magazine single bullet allegedly unveiled in the chamber bungee cords rifle scope and black tape used to attach the scope to the rifle She also manifested the jury backpacks and two heavy metal plates that were inside them which officers say Routh was using to protect himself from any incoming fire Rose also indicated the GoPro-style camera aimed at the sixth hole At times Cannon has struggled to communicate with Routh noting after he offered his opinion or pushback that there was no clear objection When Routh demanded Rose about the tape on the rifle on cross-examination she solicited to review the photo again Routh responded If you re asking me I don t have it Cannon stepped in and appealed the prosecution to provide the photo to Routh and the witness which the prosecution did