【By Observer Net, Qi Qian】

Last September, Ryan Russell was arrested for attempting to assassinate then-presidential candidate Trump, and was charged with multiple counts including murder.

According to Politico, on the evening of September 23, a Florida state court found the 59-year-old Russell guilty of all charges and sentenced him to life in prison. Soon after the verdict, Russell grabbed a pen in court and tried to stab himself in the neck, attempting to commit suicide on the spot.

Police quickly surrounded Russell and dragged him out of the court.

The suspect Russell is a Ukrainian supporter, photo

The report said that after two hours of deliberation by the jury, the court found Russell guilty of all charges.

After the jurors left the courtroom, Russell attempted suicide. He grabbed a pen and tried to stab his own neck.

Officers rushed over and dragged him out of the court.

Russell's daughter Sarah Russell witnessed the entire process. She screamed at Russell: "Dad, I love you, don't do anything stupid. I will save you. He didn't hurt anyone."

As Russell was dragged out of the court, she continued screaming, claiming that the accusations against her father were manipulated.

A few minutes later, Russell was dragged back into the court by officers. He had removed his jacket and tie, was wearing shackles, and his shirt showed no blood.

Finally, the judge announced that Russell would receive a life sentence.

According to reports, in July this year, U.S. district judge Erin Cannon approved Russell's request to represent himself during the trial. During the trial on the 23rd, Russell called three witnesses to testify, including a firearms expert and two character witnesses.

In his closing argument, Russell told the jury that he did not intend to kill anyone that day.

"If the trigger had never been pulled, I find it hard to believe I would have committed a crime," Russell argued, stating that if he had intended to harm anyone, he might have shot the Secret Service agents he was confronting.

Russell's old friend Marshall Hines testified as a character witness.

According to ABC, Hines said that when he first saw the news and saw his friend's name in the report about the assassination attempt on Trump, he felt "shocked", but not entirely surprised.

"I think he didn't want to be mean, evil, or violent, I think he was just doing what he thought was right," Hines told ABC, saying that in his opinion, Russell was a vibrant and trustworthy friend, but his personal beliefs might bring him trouble.

According to Hines' description, he testified in court that he had never seen Russell exhibit violent or reckless behavior. He said that Russell helped him find a job and continued to support him even after he and his girlfriend had a child, and for years had been a reliable colleague.

After the court's verdict, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media that the guilty verdict "shows the Department of Justice's commitment to punishing those involved in political violence." She also said, "This assassination attempt was not only an attack on our president, but also an insult to our country."

Trump praised the U.S. Department of Justice's prosecution of Russell, calling this conviction a "very important moment" in American justice.

Photo of the scene where Russell was arrested released by U.S. police

Last September 15th, Trump was again the target of an assassination attempt. At the time, Trump was playing golf at Trump National Golf Club. A Secret Service agent noticed a rifle barrel extending from the fence between hole five and six.

Not long before that, in July of the same year, Trump was attacked for the first time during a campaign rally, sustaining an ear injury.

According to reports, as the FBI investigation deepened, more details of the case emerged: the suspect Russell had voted for Trump in the 2016 election, but later turned against him; after the Russia-Ukraine conflict, he became "enthusiastic" about supporting Ukraine and had recruited soldiers for Ukraine; before being discovered by Secret Service personnel, he had been near the Trump National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida for almost 12 hours.

Investigators also found a large amount of information allegedly related to Russell, including the motive behind his attempt to shoot Trump.

"This was an assassination attempt on Trump, but I let you down," Russell reportedly wrote in a letter to an anonymous witness, "I did my best and gathered the courage. Now it's up to you to finish the job; whoever completes the task will get $150,000 from me." He also said that Trump "ended his relationship with Iran like a child, and now the Middle East has collapsed."

Being targeted twice within two months, Trump's security issues became a campaign tool for both parties as the November 2024 election approached. Trump attacked Democrats for portraying him as a "threat to democracy" and "inciting" the assassination attempts against him.

This article is an exclusive article from Observer Net, and unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.

Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553523234524742178/

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