(The Center Square) – Jurors are seated for the trial of Ryan Routh, the North Carolina construction worker by way of Hawaii charged in Florida with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump during the 2024 election cycle.

Routh, 59, called the process racist on Wednesday, taking aim at prosecutors striking two Black jurors from a shrinking list that began with 180 potential candidates. Judge Aileen Cannon, presiding in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in Fort Pierce, sought clarity in his comments tied to reference on sex, race, ethnicity or religion as laid out in a Batson Challenge.

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