WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The man charged with attempting to assassinate Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump at his Florida golf course last month will stand trial in November, a U.S. judge said on Tuesday.
The order for a Nov. 18 trial start date from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon came the day after Ryan Routh, 58, pleaded not guilty to five federal charges, including attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate.
Routh lurked with a rifle outside Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Sept. 15 with the intent to kill Trump while he golfed, prosecutors allege.
The trial date is preliminary and could be delayed based on the complexity of the case.
Trump is set to face Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 presidential election.
Cannon also presided over the criminal case accusing Trump of mishandling classified documents. In that case, the judge initially set a trial to begin within weeks of charges being brought, but the date was repeatedly postponed.
Cannon dismissed the charges in that case in July, prompting prosecutors to appeal.
Routh was thwarted in his attempt to assassinate Trump when a U.S. Secret Service agent spotted a rifle poking through a fence at the Trump International Golf Club and opened fire, according to prosecutors.
Routh was arrested after allegedly fleeing the scene. He has been ordered to remain in jail to await trial.
(Reporting by Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Scott Malone and Daniel Wallis)
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