Ryan Wesley Routh attempted to stab himself in the neck with a pen immediately after a Florida jury found him guilty Tuesday of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his West Palm Beach golf course last year.
It took four U.S. Marshals to remove him from the courtroom. He was shackled “around the waist and ankles” and brought back in to finish the proceedings, according to Fox News.
The 59-year-old now faces a potential life sentence in federal prison.
Routh had been charged with trying to assassinate a major presidential candidate after authorities said he pushed the muzzle of an SKS-style rifle through the perimeter fence of Trump’s property.
He also faced counts of assaulting a Secret Service officer and multiple federal firearm violations, reflecting the severity of his alleged plan.
Throughout the trial, Routh represented himself after repeatedly clashing with his court-appointed attorneys.
His final argument ran over 40 minutes, during which U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon interrupted him multiple times for straying into unrelated topics, including the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Ukraine and founding father Patrick Henry.
Ultimately, the judge shut down his lengthy diatribe, emphasizing that arguments must remain focused on the charges, NBC News reports.