A second day of jury selection has begun in the trial of Ryan Routh, the man accused of plotting to assassinate President Donald Trump at his Florida golf club last year.

Routh, 59, faces charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and weapons violations in connection with the alleged assassination attempt on Sept. 15, 2024, which prosecutors say was thwarted before Routh could catch sight of Trump. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Routh, who is representing himself despite having little legal experience, has signaled that his defense rests largely on his character. He sought to call witnesses to vouch for his "gentleness" and has pushed to introduce evidence he says shows a non-violent nature, from Eagle Scout commendations to community service projects.

That emphasis on image bled into jury selection, where he presented himself as deferential and contrite. He apologized to jurors and repeatedly ceded ground to prosecutors, even as they moved to dismiss jurors who might have been sympathetic to him.

"He'd be an excellent juror, but no problem," Routh said more than once, when asked if he objected to removing a prospective panelist. To other strikes, he replied, "no problem," "no objection" or "sure."

On Sept. 9, several prospective jurors raised scheduling concerns. A barista said he had a trip planned to Universal's Epic Universe in Orlando. Another said her mother-in-law had passed away overnight, requiring immediate travel to New Jersey. A third was employed by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office and said her colleagues were on the government's witness list.

One woman told the judge that she does not believe Routh is innocent until proven guilty "because I am MAGA and I love my president."

Jury selection is expected to last through Sept. 10, with opening statements to follow. If convicted, Routh could be sentenced to life in prison.

What happened at Trump's golf club?

Federal prosecutors say a Secret Service agent canvassing the sixth hole of Trump International Golf Club on Sept. 15, 2024, spotted the barrel of a rifle in a nearby tree line. At the time, Trump was at the fifth hole, out of the gunman's line of sight.

The agent drew his weapon and fired several times, prompting the suspect to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot. Routh was arrested soon after by local sheriff's deputies following a high speed chase.

The incident came just months after an earlier attempt on Trump's life during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Inside Routh's car, deputies found two license plates, six cellphones, a passport and a handwritten list of venues where Trump was scheduled to appear, according to prosecutors.

Routh has since been held in a federal prison and, in the months leading up to his trial, has had a contentious relationship with his legal representation. Ahead of his trial, Routh fired his lawyers and opted to represent himself despite not being a lawyer. His attorneys will, however, be in the courtroom during his trial as "stand by counsel."

What evidence do prosecutors intend to show the jury?

An unsealed exhibit list from prosecutors includes purported photos of Routh holding the rifle found near the tree line of Trump’s golf club, texts about a “project in Florida,” and scores of internet searches about Trump’s schedule and previous assassination attempts.

Among the listed exhibits is a WhatsApp chat "about sniper concealment in President Kenneddy assassination" and website visits regarding "U.S. Secret Service response to assassination plots."

Over a week before the incident, Routh allegedly sent the following message on WhatsApp: "Hey genuis….how much would you charge me for a daily location on Donald trumps airplane from the flight tracking apps???"

Prosecutors also intend to present surveillance video from Palm Beach International Airport that allegedly shows Routh “sitting in area with view of President Trump's private airplane.” The video was taken days before authorities say he tried to kill Tump.

Contributing: Thao Nguyen

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jury selection resumes in trial of man accused of plotting to kill Trump

Reporting by Christopher Cann and Hannah Phillips, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

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