Ryan

Sarah Paulson appears to be having a blast in Ryan Murphy’s new Hulu “legal” drama “All’s Fair,” and that’s about the only good thing about the show.

The New York Times recently ran a piece extolling it’s reimagining of the power suit (down to at least one visible thong) and I suppose that’s one way of avoiding the obvious. Still, I’m going to stick with Paulson’s obvious glee in playing a villain. Her Carrington Lane was left behind to fester in the comic-book sexism of a male-dominated divorce law firm when two of her colleagues stalked away to form an all-female team and Carrington is not one to surrender a grudge.

It’s impossible not to like Paulson and she is clearly enjoying the opportunity to glare and hiss and indulge in the kind of gross but creative profanity Melissa McCarthy likes to unleash when her characters hit the brink.

As for the rest … well, let’s just say with “All’s Fair,” American culture is getting exactly what it deserves: A series that wallows in the shiny, knockoff-ready trappings of new money (immaculate and soulless homes, private jets, diamonds the size of a Rubik’s Cube), defines “sisterhood” as the belief that any personal crisis can be alleviated by vaginal rejuvenation combined with a girls’ trip to a jewelry auction and gauges power by the ability to plot and take revenge. Preferably in the form of huge amounts of money.

“All’s Fair” may or may not be, as some have said, the worst show of the year (or possibly of all time), but with its celebration of the 1%, personal feuds and financial vengeance, it is certainly the first to truly embody the culture of the Trump presidency.

Down to the reality star at its center. “All’s Fair” gives top billing not to any of the fine and seasoned actors that star — Paulson, Niecy Nash, Naomi Watts, Glenn Close — but to Kim Kardashian, who plays Allura Grant, head of the law firm Grant, Ronson and Greene.

Niecy Nash, from left, Glenn Close and Kim Kardashian are among the stars of Ryan Murphy’s new Hulu drama “All’s Fair.”

(Ser Baffo / Disney)

That Kardashian (and Kris Jenner, who serves as a producer) were able to summon such forces of the galaxy to showcase her, shall we say, limited thespian abilities could be justifiably viewed as yet another “you go girl” testament to her seemingly limitless business acumen.

On the other hand, “All’s Fair” makes the dismal final season of “And Just Like That” look like Chekhov.

Murphy, and the forces at Disney, which owns Hulu, the home of “The Kardashians,” understand Kardashian’s cult-like following and are operating under the assumption that viewers will be so entranced by her and the fashions (which include an alarming amount of hats, capes and gloves) that they won’t notice that the main player is relying on her eyelash extensions to do her acting for her.

To be fair to Kardashian, few nonprofessional actors would shine beside scene partners like Close, Watts and Nash, and the writing of the series, which flirts with camp but never fully commits, does no one any favors.

Not since “Charlie’s Angels” has there been a “feminist fantasy” with such a male gaze. (Apologies to “Charlie’s Angels,” which was in many ways a groundbreaking show.)

After suffering on the sidelines of a mostly male law firm, Allura and Liberty Ronson (Watts) decide to branch out on their own. They do so with the blessing of Dina Standish (Close), that firm’s only female partner, and take with them ace investigator Emerald Greene (Nash). When we meet them again, 10 years later, Allura also has an assistant/mentee in Milan (Teyana Taylor), who later provides a predictable plot twist.

The names alone suggest a level of parody, and, in the first episode, a send-up quality flits in and out of the proceedings, but the show chooses cynicism over satire every time.

Instead of sexist jokes, the partners of Grant, Ronson and Greene spend much of their time discussing how awful men are, with the possible exception of Liberty’s beau, Reggie (“The Handmaid’s Tale’s” O-T Fagbenle), and Standish’s ailing husband, Doug (Ed O’Neill).

That is, after all, the raison d’etre of the firm: Grant, Ronson and Greene are intent on protecting rich women from the perils of the prenup and generally making the bastards pay, sometimes through their “superior” knowledge of the law (in one storyline, this involves explaining that gifts are the sole property of the recipient, which even I knew), but more often blackmail (if you have chosen to live your life without ever seeing a butt plug the size of a traffic cone, keep your eyes shut when Emerald starts her slideshow).

A brief, and seemingly contractually required, mention of the firm raising money to help the underprivileged is laughable — “All’s Fair” is 100% après-moi television, in which extreme wealth is presented as too normal to even be aspirational, and any work not done by Emerald consists of sashaying in super slick shades from one successful throwdown to the next. With brief interludes in sumptuous cars and, as previously mentioned, overbidding on hideous brooches at a high-end jewelry auction (held by a firm client, which honestly seems potentially unethical, but whatevs).

If the dialogue were sharp, funny or even self-aware, Murphy and his team might get away with it, but it’s not — “It’s a shame your mother didn’t swallow,” Dina tells Carrington in what passes as proof that women can be as tough as men. Or that older women can talk trash. Or that Close will do her best to give a decent reading of any line. Or something.

There are brief nods to the women’s personal lives — as a divorce lawyer, Liberty is reluctant to marry Reggie, Dina is struggling with Doug’s decline, Emerald is a super-single mom — but it all feels very box-ticky. Including Allura’s disintegrating marriage, which becomes a major plot point as the gals gather round to make that bastard pay as well, and her realization that if she wants to become a mother, she’s running out of time.

Reading the zeitgeist, the creators of “All’s Fair” were clearly not looking for raves or awards, just viewers.

(Disney)

In many ways, “All’s Fair” is an American version of the excellent British series “The Split,” which follows a matriarchal family of female divorce lawyers. Early on, one of the daughters (played by Nicola Walker) leaves the family firm and, in her own way, attempts to right the wrongs often done to women facing divorce from rich and powerful men while dealing with her own marital breakdown and a family with actual children.

But “American version” doesn’t really cut it. This is Trump’s-America version, in which ethics, morals and virtually all human feeling are secondary to winning, and winning is defined by who ends up making their opponent pay.

Between Kardashian’s conspicuous nonacting and dialogue that often seems lifted from the all-caps regions of X, “All’s Fair” has, not surprisingly, received a critical drubbing. Which seems almost intentional.

Critics, after all, have long been routinely, and often viciously, disparaged (after the reviews were in, Close felt moved to post a sketch of the cast gathered around a “Fatal Attraction”-like “critic bunny stew”). More important, reviews, bad or good, do not (nor should they) predict audience reaction (see early theater reviews of “Wicked”). As Trump has proved again and again, bad press is still press and the worse it is, the more easily it can be cast as proof that the cultural elites (i.e. critics) are out to get … somebody.

So it shouldn’t surprise anyone that, despite a 5% score on Rotten Tomatoes, “All’s Fair” was Hulu’s most successful scripted series premiere in three years.

Reading the zeitgeist, the creators of “All’s Fair” were clearly not looking for raves or awards, just viewers. In this American moment, bad is good and shrewd operators know that if you throw in enough high-profile ingredients — Kardashian, Murphy, a bevy of fine actors — you needn’t take the trouble to ensure the mix will rise to the occasion.

As the president builds a ballroom while food banks are overrun, why wouldn’t TV audiences want to feast on fallen cake?

KATHERINE Ryan has melted hearts after she shared adorable photos of her newborn baby after giving birth a week ago.

The comedian, 42, revealed she had welcomed her fourth child last Saturday in just 45 minutes.

Katherine, 42, already has three children including son Fred, three, and daughter Fenna, two, with husband Bobby Koostra, and she is mum to her 15-year-old Violet from a previous relationship.

Now a week into welcoming her fourth child, the comedian has given a sweet update into life with another baby.

She shared a slew of adorable snaps on Instagram which included a pic of baby Holland just after she had been born.

Another sweet snap saw the baby all wrapped up in pink knitwear.

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The proud mum wrote next to the adorable pictures: “One week of easy breezy Holland.”

Fans rushed to compliment her on the sweet snaps, with one saying: “Just beautiful!”

Another joked: “Stop it Katherine, you’re making me broody!”

This fan said: “Congrats! What a beautiful little girl.”

BABY JOY

Katherine announced she was adding to her brood earlier this year.

The star then revealed on October 18 that she had given birth.

Katherine shared a slew of sweet snaps to mark the occasion.

Her husband Bobby paid an emotional tribute to his “great” wife.

He said: “Holland Juliette Kootstra has arrived:)

“The ‘Patrick Mahomes’ of child birth pulled out another MVP performance!

“Amazing to witness the greatness of @kathbum #blessed”

One follower commented: “Congratulations and love the name.. a welcome addition to your amazing family… sending love.”

Another chimed in: “Yay!! Gorgeous name and post-birth line up.”

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Katherine’s husband also told fans that Katherine had achieved a ’45 minute PB’ when it came to giving birth to the baby.

Sharing a photo of her in the hospital bed, Bobby penned: “45 min PB,” alongside an emoji of a girl running.

CHICAGO — Ryan Donato scored from the edge of the crease at 2:58 of overtime and the Chicago Blackhawks beat the Ducks 2-1 on Sunday night in Ducks coach Joel Quenneville’s first game at United Center since being banned in a sexual-assault scandal.

The ban stemmed from the scandal involving his 2010 Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks squad that surfaced in October 2021. Quenneville was forced to resign as Florida’s coach, then banned from the NHL for nearly three years before taking over the Ducks in May. He won three titles in 10 years with the Blackhawks.

Donato had his third goal in three games. Connor Bedard set up it from behind the net to cap a 3-on-1 rush. Frank Nazar also scored to help Chicago improve to 3-0-1 in its last four.

Spencer Knight made 38 saves and was beaten only on Mason McTavish’s power-play goal from a sharp angle with 35.8 seconds left in the third period.

McTavish scored on a rising shot from low in the right circle for his first goal of the season on Anaheim’s 36th shot and fifth manpower advantage. Wyatt Kaiser had been sent off for delay of game with 1:47 left after lifting the puck over the glass.

Knight outdueled Lukas Dostal, who stopped 28 shots in the Ducks’ second straight loss.

Irish Olympic swimmer Shane Ryan has joined the Enhanced Games, a multi-sport competition that will allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests.

Ryan, who was born in the USA, competed in three successive Olympics Games for Ireland before announcing his retirement from the sport earlier this month.

“After a decade dedicated to traditional competition on the world’s highest stage, I’m excited to dive into this next chapter with the Enhanced Games,” the 31-year-old said on his decision.

Ryan joins Team GB Olympic swimmer Ben Proud, four-time Greece Olympian Kristian Gkolomeev and US sprinter Fred Kerley in announcing his intentions to compete at the Games.

The move has been criticised by Sport Ireland, which says it is “deeply disappointed” with the decision.

The first Enhanced Games are due to take place in Las Vegas in 2026 with each event awarded a total prize purse of $500,000 and a $1m on offer for competitors who break world records.

Swim Ireland has also condemned the move, confirming his disassociation with the organisation and that he will no longer be provided with any funding or services.

Ryan competed at the Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games, becoming the first Irish swimmer to participate at three Olympics.

The Olympic Federation of Ireland said that Ryan’s move to the Enhanced Games “stands in direct opposition to our core clean sport values”.

Marshawn Lynch had “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”

Bill Belichick had “We’re on to Cincinnati.”

Now Shedeur Sanders has come up with an equally inventive way of responding without responding to reporters’ questions: silence.

Sure, the Cleveland Browns rookie moved his mouth and gestured when he was asked Wednesday about remaining the team’s No. 3 quarterback after fellow first-year QB Dillon Gabriel was promoted to starter.

But no actual words came out of his mouth.

Essentially, Sanders hit the mute button on himself — which is what made the response so brilliant.

Sanders was a star college quarterback for Colorado, playing for his father and NFL legend Deion Sanders, and was considered by some to be a first-round pick going into the 2025 draft. Instead, he dropped to the Browns in the fifth round (No. 144 overall) after Cleveland had already selected Gabriel out of Oregon in the third round.

For the first four weeks of the 2025 season, Gabriel was the Browns’ No. 2 quarterback and Sanders was No. 3, both behind 18-year veteran Joe Flacco.

But Flacco has been ineffective in leading Cleveland to a 1-3 start, which prompted the Browns to announce Wednesday that Gabriel will be their Week 5 starter. Flacco dropped to No. 2 with Sanders remaining at No. 3.

Later Wednesday in the Browns locker room, Sanders was asked by a reporter for his thoughts on not moving up on the depth chart. He smiled broadly and proceeded to give a voiceless answer. Reporters tried at least four more times to get Sanders to answer similar questions, eliciting only a similar pantomimed response.

Sanders’ behavior may have been in response to critical remarks made Monday by former NFL coach and current analyst Rex Ryan.

Last week, during an interview with ESPNCleveland, Sanders was asked about his feelings on being a backup quarterback in the NFL. During the course of the conversation, he made some comments — including “if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I’m capable of playing better than that” and “a lot of teams would be playing me, but that’s not in God’s plan right now” — that rubbed Ryan the wrong way.

“This kid talks and he runs his mouth,” Ryan said days later on ESPN’s “Get Up.” “Like he said, ‘I can be a starting quarterback’ with his arms crossed like this. Get your a— in the front row and study and do all that. If I know, the whole league knows. Quit being an embarrassment that way. You’ve got the talent to be the quarterback, you should be. You should be embarrassed that you’re not the quarterback now.”

Sept. 23 (UPI) — Oklahoma’s public schools chief Ryan Walters said Tuesday that every high school in the state will have a chapter of Turning Point USA, the organization co-founded by slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Walters, the state’s superintendent of public instruction, announced the partnership with the national conservative student group in a video posted to X, saying it would counter what he called the classroom dominance of “radical leftists” and teachers unions who “push woke indoctrination on our kids.'”

After the shooting of Kirk on a Utah college campus earlier this month, conservative politicians and media figures celebrated his influence with the nation’s youth and pledged to uphold his legacy. Walters’ announcement indicates a willingness to use the state’s public education system to advance Turning Point USA, but offered little detail on what that would mean.

“What we’re going to continue to do is make sure that our kids understand American greatness, engage in civic dialog and have that open discussion,” he said.

Starting a chapter of Turning Point USA at a private or public high school, as well as a home school, requires three students to serve as leaders and to sign a charter agreement, according to the national group’s website. The local chapter has to organize one activism initiative each semester and remain in good standing with a Turning Point USA field representative.

A press release from the state Department of Education states that chapters will receive support from the national organization, including “activism kits” with pins, pocket Constitutions, handbooks and other materials. The press release does not explain what the state will do to make sure students on every high school campus follows through.

John Croisant, a board member for Tulsa Public Schools and Democratic candidate for Congress, told KGOU that while students are able to form clubs, his district would not be “pushing political organizations within our schools.”

The department is investigating a dozen school districts that did not observe a moment of silence to honor Kirk, reported KOCO 5 News. Those districts told the station they were not aware of investigations.

Walters enacted a policy earlier this year requiring teachers from New York and California to pass tests showing they are not “woke indoctrinators.” He also supported a requirement that public schools teach the Bible.

A US jury finds that Routh intended to kill then-presidential candidate Donald Trump last September.

A US man has been found guilty of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump last September near Trump’s Florida golf course, United States Attorney General Pam Bondi said on social media.

A jury found that Ryan Routh, 59, intended to kill Trump, then a former president and Republican presidential candidate, when he pointed a rifle through a fence while Trump was golfing at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.

He was also found guilty on the four other charges he faced, including impeding a federal agent and weapons offences. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Last year, Routh fled from the golf course without firing a shot after a US Secret Service agent patrolling the course ahead of Trump spotted Routh and the rifle and opened fire, according to witness testimony in the case.

“This plot was carefully crafted and deadly serious,” prosecutor John Shipley said at the start of the trial, adding that without the intervention of the Secret Service agent, “Donald Trump would not be alive”.

‘Political violence’

The 12-day trial in a federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, unfolded in the aftermath of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which again thrust the growth of political violence in the US to the centre of the national conversation.

Trump was targeted in two assassination attempts, including one that wounded him in the ear, during his 2024 presidential campaign that returned him to the White House.

“Today’s guilty verdict against would-be Trump assassin Ryan Routh illustrates the Department of Justice’s commitment to punishing those who engage in political violence,” Attorney General Bondi said in a statement on X. “This attempted assassination was not only an attack on our President, but an affront to our very nation itself.”

Trump, in a post on his Truth Social platform, lauded the verdict, adding, “This was an evil man with an evil intention, and they caught him.”

Routh appeared to try to stab himself with a pen several times after the verdict was revealed in court, and had to be restrained by US marshals, according to US media reports. His daughter, Sara, also yelled in court that her father had not hurt anyone and that she would get him out of prison.

Prosecutors alleged that Routh arrived in South Florida about a month before the September 15, 2024, incident, staying at a truck stop and tracking Trump’s movements and schedule. Routh allegedly carried six mobile phones and used fake names to conceal his identity.

He lay in wait for nearly 10 hours on the day of the incident, concealing himself in thick bushes overlooking the sixth hole green, prosecutors alleged. Investigators at the scene found a semiautomatic rifle, two bags containing metal plates like those used in body armour, and a small video camera pointed towards the course.

Trump was on the fifth hole a few hundred yards away when Routh was discovered. He was arrested later that afternoon after being stopped by police along a Florida highway.

Sept. 23 (UPI) — Would-be assassin Ryan Routh tried to stab himself with a pen after a jury on Tuesday found him guilty of trying to kill President Donald Trump last year.

A jury deliberated for 2.5 hours before returning guilty verdicts on all five counts against Routh, 59, who was found armed with a rifle while lying in wait to assassinate Trump when he played golf at the Trump International Golf Club near his Mar-a-Lago resort on Sept. 15, 2024, NBC News reported.

Upon hearing the verdict, Routh began stabbing his neck with a pen in the U.S. District of Southern Florida courtroom in Fort Pierce.

Court officers stopped Routh, who faces up to life in prison for attempting to assassinate a presidential candidate, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, assaulting a federal officer, being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Routh delivered a 55-minute closing argument prior to the jury deliberations, but Judge Aileen Cannon admonished him to stick to matters relevant to the case when he complained about not being allowed to call on more witnesses shortly after starting his argument.

He then asked Cannon if she would allow his former public defenders to conclude his closing argument if she interrupted him once more, which she declined, according to NBC News.

Routh said he had a “prime opportunity” to shoot Trump but did not and rhetorically asked the jury, “Why was the trigger not pulled?” ABC News reported.

Routh said being armed while in the presence of another person “does not mean intent” and began speaking about Ukraine and other matters unrelated to the case when Cannon stopped him from continuing.

Routh represented himself during the 12-day trial and is a resident of Hawaii and a former Trump supporter, according to USA Today.

He failed to convince the jury that he is “non-violent” and that federal prosecutors did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he intended to assassinate Trump.

A judge has rejected Erik and Lyle Menendez’s petition for a new trial, ruling that additional evidence that they suffered sexual abuse at their father’s hands would not have changed the outcome of the trial that has put them in prison for more than 35 years for gunning down their parents.

The ruling, handed down by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William C. Ryan on Monday, is the latest blow to the brothers’ bid for release. Both were denied parole during lengthy hearings in late August.

A habeas corpus petition filed on behalf of the brothers in 2023 argued they should have been able to present additional evidence at trial that their father, Jose Menendez, was sexually abusive.

The new evidence included a 1988 letter that Erik Menendez sent to his cousin, Andy Cano, saying he was abused into his late teens. There were also allegations made by Roy Rosselló, a former member of the boy band Menudo, who claimed Jose Menendez raped him.

The brothers have long argued they were in fear for their lives that their father would keep abusing them, and that their parents would kill them to cover up the nightmarish conditions in their Beverly Hills home.

Prosecutors contended the brothers killed their parents with shotguns in 1989 to get access to their massive inheritance, and have repeatedly highlighted Erik and Lyle’s wild spending spree in the months that followed their parents’ deaths. .

“Neither piece of evidence adds to the allegations of abuse the jury already considered, yet found that the brothers planned, then executed that plan to kill their abusive father and complicit mother,” Ryan wrote. “The court finds that these two pieces of evidence presented here would have not have resulted in a hung jury nor in the conviction of a lesser instructed offense.”

Ryan agreed with Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Nathan Hochman that the petition should not grant the brothers a new trial because the abuse evidence would not have changed the fact that the brothers planned and carried out the execution-style killings in the family living room.

Ryan wrote the new evidence would not have resulted in the trial court proceeding differently because the brothers could not show they experienced a fear of “imminent peril.”

A spokesperson for the group of more than 30 Menendez relatives who have been fighting for the brothers’ release did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the district attorney’s office was not immediately available for comment.

The gruesome killings occurred after the brothers used cash to buy the shotguns and attacked their parents while they watched a movie in the family living room.

Prosecutors said Jose Menendez was struck five times with shotgun blasts, including in the back of the head, and Kitty Menendez crawled on the floor wounded before the brothers reloaded and fired a final, fatal blast.

The petition rejected this week was one of three paths the Menendez legal team has pursued in seeking freedom for the brothers. Another judge earlier this year resentenced them to 50 years to life for the murders, making them eligible for parole after they were originally sentenced to life in prison.

Both were denied release at their first parole hearing, but could end up before the state panel again in as soon as 18 months. Clemency petitions are also still pending before Gov. Gavin Newsom.

The first trial ended with hung juries for each brother. In the second, allegations of abuse and supporting testimonies were restricted, and Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of first-degree murder in March 1996.

Mexican Alvarez, 35, has won world titles in four different weight classes but faces an uncertain future after his third defeat in 68 fights since making his debut as a 15-year-old.

Undisputed light-heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol, one of the three boxers to beat Alvarez, described him and Crawford as “legendary fighters”.

But Jake Paul, YouTuber turned boxer, said: “Canelo putting his hand up like he won. Canelo been overrated.”

Stevenson, who was ringside to support Crawford, said: “It’s a lot of soft fighters in the sport who are scared to fight against other great fighters.

“But salute to you champ, not being scared to put it on the line against everybody. You are a legend.”

ITV viewers first saw Jenny ‘The Vixen’ Ryan join The Chase back in 2015 as she’s quickly became a fan favourite over the years.

It looks as though Jenny Ryan may have given away how much The Chase’s Bradley Walsh makes on the ITV show.

In an exclusive clip for this Sunday’s episode of Beat the Chasers, (Sunday 14 September), it shows the long-running host address the beloved quizzers, after one of the ITV stars recently touched on Mark Labbett’s ego.

Sharing a stat, he commented: “Last series, we gave away £700,000!”

Despite the audience sounding visibility impressed, Bradley couldn’t help but take a swipe at their losses.

The 65-year-old continued: “More to the point, when I say we gave away, I mean you lost £700,000!

“Now, what would you have done with that £700,000 had we not lost it. When I say we, I mean you.”

Jenny was the first to respond to Bradley’s question as she decided to put a different spin on his outlook.

She replied: “I have to think about it positively rather than negatively. By catching contestants, the chaster saved the show £20 million. Or as ITV calls it, two-thirds of a Bradley!”

Her fellow quizzers laughed at her remark, although Bradley ignored the probe and addressed Shaun Wallace instead.

Known as The Dark Destroyer, he told Bradley it was obvious what he’d do with the money, had they not lost.

He said: “A first copy edition of Chasing the Dream by Shaun Wallace!” Taking a cheeky jibe at his co-star, Darragh Ennis replied: “700,000 copies more like!”

Paul Sinha explained that if there was that much extra money in the budget, they could afford to have Shane Ritchie host instead of Bradley.

Although it seemed as though the ITV presenter took the comment in good humour as he burst out laughing before giving him a round of applause.

Looking into the camera, he said: “Come on over, Shane! You can do it mate.”

Beat the Chasers airs Sundays at 8pm on ITV1

Sept. 11 (UPI) — The trial is underway for a man accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump on his golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla., during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Ryan Routh, who is defending himself in the case, was interrupted by Judge Aileen Cannon minutes into Routh’s opening remarks when he began veering off topic Thursday.

“Modern trials seem to eliminate all that is human,” Routh intoned in his opening statement.

Cannon excused the jury, then chided Routh, directing him to keep his comments relevant to the case. Routh apologized but continued on a tangent, discussing the “history” of human existence.

Canon then told Routh his opening remarks were over.

In court, Secret Service agent Robert Fercano identified Routh as the man hiding behind a shrub-covered fence near the sixth hole of the lush golf course, aiming an AK-style assault weapon at Trump. Fercano was the first government witness to take the stand in the trial.

Prosecuting attorney John Shipley Jr. said during his testimony that Routh “decided to take the choice away from the American people.”

Routh was found with a handwritten note stating his intention to assassinate Trump. Eyewitness accounts, cellphone data and security footage prove the case against Routh beyond a reasonable doubt, Shipley said.

Fercano said he noticed the muzzle of a gun protruding from the shrubbery and called out to Routh, then proceeded to call for law enforcement backup. “Hey, sir!” Fercano said he yelled.

The court then played audio of Fercano discharging his weapon in Routh’s direction and radioing colleagues. “Shots fired! Shots fired! Shots fired!” Fercano yelled. The agent testified that he believed he came within five feet of Routh.

Fercano testified that the barrel of the assault rifle was pointed directly at his face and that he feared Trump’s life was in danger. He said he initially did not think Routh was a threat until he saw the gun muzzle.

During the trial, Fercano presented a Russian-designed SKS semiautomatic weapon officials believe Routh obtained illegally and used in the assassination attempt.

Routh, a 59-year old construction worker, does not have any formal legal training.

Sept. 8 (UPI) — Jury selection got underway Monday in the trial for Ryan Routh, over his alleged assassination attempt against President Donald Trump in September 2024.

Routh, now 59, entered a federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, Fla., for the start of his criminal trial in what’s likely to be a three-day jury selection process.

He pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and multiple gun violations after he allegedly waited for then-candidate Trump nearly 12 hours around the perimeter of Trump’s golf club in West Palm Beach on Sept. 15 before later caught by Martin County Sheriff’s deputies.

In addition, Routh has pleaded not guilty to separate charges filed by the state on terrorism and attempted murder.

The trial is expected to last around a month and Routh will be representing himself during court processings.

In December, U.S. Southern District Judge Aileen Cannon set the trial date to begin.

Routh, a construction worker who was from Hawaii and North Carolina, was found when a Secret Service agent discovered the barrel of an SKS-style rifle protruding through the tree line near the golf course’s sixth green.

The agent shot at Routh, who fled the scene but was arrested on a nearby highway after a chase with sheriff’s deputies.

Meanwhile, Routh is facing the possibility of life in prison.

Opening statements in Routh’s trial are expected to be heard on Thursday.

AFPTV/AFP via Getty Images

What do prosecutors allege Routh did?

What charges does he face?

When is the trial?

Why will Routh defend himself?

Ryan Salcedo scored his fifth touchdown of the night on a 79-yard run up the right sideline with 1:07 to play, lifting visiting Bishop Amat to a 42-38 victory in a wild shootout with Valencia, spoiling a night in which the Vikings got a 50-yard field goal from Matteo Petroski.

Valencia had a final chance to win the game, driving inside the Bishop Amat 15-yard line with nine seconds to play. But Viking quarterback Brady Bretthauer overthrew a wide-open Hudson Sanders in the end zone then had his third-down pass batted down as time expired.

Salcedo scored on an eight-run carry in the first half but went wild in the second, rushing for more than 170 yards and scoring on carries of 48, 11, 3 and 79 yards. Each touchdown either tied the score or put the Bishop Amat (2-1) ahead.

Bishop Amat’s only other touchdown came on Kanan Khansarinia’s 95-yard kickoff return just before halftime. But Khansarinia sustained an injury early in the third quarter and left the stadium on a crutches, a brace on his knee left.

Bretthauer passed for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns for Valencia (2-1), hitting Caleb Larson and Brian Bonner on touchdown strikes of 21 and 85 yards in the first half and Anthony Vernon on a 23-yard score with 67 seconds to play, giving the Vikings their final lead of the night. Bonner and Bretthauer also had rushing touchdowns,

On defense Elias Holloway had a big night with a fumble recovery and an interception for Valencia.

Each team attempted just one punt with Bishop Amat’s Mac Naughtin blocking Valencia’s try with less than four minutes to play, setting up the Lancers’ penultimate touchdown.

All hell will break loose in bombshell scenes as Robert Sugden goes above and beyond to save his ex-husband Aaron Dingle from John Sugden’s grasp – but things will go awry.

Two lives are left hanging in the balance next week and it may mean trouble for Robert Sugden as he’s left to grapple alone with the aftermath.

Ryan Hawley’s Robert Sugden goes all out to protect his ex-husband Aaron Dingle from John Sugden’s clutches in Emmerdale – even if it means putting himself back on the firing line.

“His suspicions are renewed when he hears Tracy talking to Charity,” says Ryan. “She says there’s something more going on. He then finds out that Aaron and John are away at this cottage. He’s worried about Aaron, who’s in danger. That’s his primary focus.”

Aaron (Danny Miller) has been torn between love and loyalty in recent months. John (Oliver Farnworth) offered him security but Robert’s return to the village reopened old wounds – and old passions.

But from the moment he met his half-brother John, Robert sensed trouble. “He thinks there are too many things that don’t add up,” Ryan says, “He’s always had the suspicion there’s something wrong about John.”

John, who has blood on his hands from Nate’s death and Mackenzie’s disappearance, knows Robert is circling. To keep his crimes under wraps, he isolates Aaron and tightens his grip.

But when Robert tracks them down with help from Eric Pollard, the façade breaks wide open. Robert accuses John of murder, triggering an explosive confrontation.

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“He suspects that John is to blame for Nate’s murder,” Ryan says. “Robert gets banged out in one go. He’s not very good at fighting.” The drama escalates in the woods, as Robert regains consciousness and gives chase. Paranoia then collides with betrayal. “John instantly thinks that Aaron’s been lying to him,” Ryan says.

“He knows that Aaron and Robert have had an affair so he instantly suspects there’s more betrayal. Then John comes up with his own survival instinct plan.”

That plan turns deadly. As truths about Nate and Mackenzie emerge, John drags Aaron into his spiral – literally. In a shock move, John pulls Aaron with him down a gorge, leaving Robert horrified.

“There’s so much going on,” Ryan says, “They’re on the edge of a cliff, there’s a revelation about Mack and another about Nate. It’s a very perplexing situation. He approaches the gorge and looks over. And he sees two lifeless-looking bodies at the bottom.”

But the nightmare doesn’t stop there. For Robert, who only walked free on parole in May after serving time for Lee Posner’s murder, the fallout could be catastrophic.

“I don’t think he realises at that moment,” Ryan says. “It’s only later in the hospital that people start accusing him.” Could the accusations send Robert straight back to prison?

Behind the scenes, the intense stunt work tested everyone involved. Filming the gorge scenes took a gruelling three days. But Ryan reveled in the challenge. “It’s fun to see people do cool things and make the scenes look great,” he says.

For Ryan, who returned to Emmerdale after six years of absence, this storyline has been worth the wait. “I’m very much enjoying it,” he says, “I get to work with everyone.”

And while Robert’s future hangs by a fragile thread, John’s fate seems much darker. “It’s a great climax, a great ending to the story of this serial killer,” he says, “I read every single scene in it all the way through. I loved it.” Are the walls finally closing in on John?

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