Kavanaugh Assassination Plot Involved Multiple Justices, Feds Now Claim

Prosecutors are seeking a sentence of 30 years to life for Nicholas John Roske, who now identifies as a woman.

Dana Verkouteren via AP
The Supreme Court, joined by new Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, hears arguments on the opening day of its new term. Dana Verkouteren via AP

The man who pleaded guilty in April to attempting to carry out a 2022 plot to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh had a much wider plot, according to a new Department of Justice sentencing memorandum.

Nicholas John Roske, who now reportedly identifies as a transgender woman in court proceedings, planned to murder Justice Kavanaugh following the 2022 leak of the Supreme Court’s decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Now, however, prosecutors allege that Roske had further targets.

“The defendant meticulously researched, planned, and attempted to assassinate at least one — but had a stated target of three — sitting judges of the United States Supreme Court,” the memo claims.

Prosecutors did not publicly state which other justices were potential targets, but said Roske’s goal was to “single-handedly alter the Constitutional order for ideological ends.”

Prosecutors say Roske traveled to Maryland from California to carry out his “bone-chilling” plot and was found near the justice’s residence just after 1 a.m., armed with a tactical chest rig, a tactical knife, zip ties, a crow bar, a pistol, ammunition, pepper spray, and tools.

Prosecutors say Roske said he was “shooting for 3” assassinations and a map saved in his Google account contained location pins marking what he believed to be the addresses of four sitting Supreme Court justices.

The motive for the planned killings was to stop the court from overturning the abortion ruling and to replace the sitting justices with those appointed by President Biden, according to messages he sent on Discord.

The sentencing memorandum says that Roske has a history of serious mental health episodes, including having thoughts of killing his sister by stabbing her in the throat with a knife because “he was bored.” In 2021 he allegedly had “homicidal ideation” toward people who he believed had wronged him. Roske was on medication for mental health issues at the time of that incident.

Prosecutors say Roske was also taking prescribed medication at the time of the incident involving Justice Kavanaugh.

Prosecutors say that while Roske has a mental health history, it was not untreated and does not excuse or cause his behavior in the case. They are seeking a sentence of 30 years to life.


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