Attempted GOP SCOTUS Assassin Faces 8 Years in Prison After Planning to ‘Get at Least One’
Nicholas Roske pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and was sentenced to over eight years (97 months) in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Judge Deborah Boardman emphasized the importance of sending a strong message against political violence, especially given the current high level of threats against judges. Roske was arrested in June 2022 outside Kavanaugh’s home with burglary tools and a firearm, after calling 911 to declare his intent to kill the justice and then himself. This incident occurred shortly after a draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked.
The prosecution sought a 30-year sentance, highlighting Roske’s month-long planning and his expressed goals to change Supreme Court votes by assassinating multiple justices. Roske, who identifies as transgender and now uses female pronouns, apologized in court for his actions and acknowledged the impact on the judiciary’s safety. Defense attorneys noted that Roske ultimately stopped before committing violence, and family members testified about Roske’s ongoing mental health struggles and the challenges of identity within the LGBTQ community.
The judge also addressed concerns about how transgender inmates are treated in prison and the broader issue of mental health care for prisoners. The case has attracted political attention, with calls to appeal the sentence.
Nicholas Roske, who pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, was sentenced Friday to over eight years in prison.
Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, said it is important to send a message to people who are considering harming judges over disagreements with their decisions, especially now when threats are at an “all-time high.”
“[Roske’s] actions before … self-reporting of this crime were extremely serious, were properly prosecuted, and a significant sentence of incarceration is necessary to promote respect for the law,” she said. “Political violence, even unexecuted plans of political violence, must be prosecuted and punished.”
Roske’s 97-month sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
On June 8, 2022, Roske was arrested with burglary tools and a firearm outside Kavanaugh’s Maryland home after placing a call to 911, telling the dispatcher he came from California to kill the justice and himself. A draft of the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade had leaked just a month prior.
“I have been portrayed as a monster and this tragic mistake that I made will follow me for the rest of my life,” Roske told the judge, apologizing to Kavanaugh, to his family, and “for contributing to the fear judges experience.”
The government asked for a 30-year sentence to send “the unequivocal, clear, and strong message” that attempted violence against the judiciary and public officials will not be tolerated.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Coreen Mao told the judge Roske posed a “very real threat” to the justice’s life and “to our constitution.”
Mao argued Roske only changed his course of action because law enforcement was present at Kavanaugh’s residence, highlighting how he spent a month acquiring supplies, conducting research, and discussing the impact of an assassination on the Supreme Court with friends.
“[Y]eah but i could get at least one, which would change the votes for decades to come,” Roske told a friend in a May 2022 Discord message. “[A]nd I am shooting for 3.”
Defense attorneys highlighted that Roske did not go through with his actions. “It’s not who she is,” defense attorney Andrew Szekely said, referring to the defendant with female pronouns because he has declared himself to be transgender.
“What makes this case unique isn’t that he [Kavanaugh] was a prominent political figure, but that she [Roske] stopped,” Szekely said.
“Judges aren’t political,” Boardman interjected.
In a Sept. 19 filing, Roske’s attorneys confirmed that he identifies as a woman, informing the judge they would “refer to her as Sophie and use female pronouns” moving forward.
During the proceedings, Boardman also identified Roske using female pronouns. She questioned whether prisons are properly equipped to treat mentally ill prisoners and probed how Roske would be treated as a “transgender woman.”
🚨 JUST IN: AG Pam Bondi is APPEALING the measly 8-year sentence given to transgender attempted assassin Nicholas Roske, who tried to take out SCOTUS Justice Brett Kavanaugh.
The Biden judge showed LENIENCY because Roske is transgender – it has been confirmed.
“The attempted… pic.twitter.com/313w0HRud4
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 3, 2025
Roske’s sister, father, and mother provided emotional testimony about his mental health and character. Other family members planned to attend but could not due to a medical emergency.
His mother described Roske’s long history of mental health issues, starting with a suicide attempt in 2015 and a seizure in 2016. During COVID-19, Roske’s mother said he cut them out of his treatment.
“We should have listened more,” the mother said. “She was frustrated with what was going on in the world, and we weren’t really a safe place for her to process that.”
In a letter to the judge, Roske said he did not tell his parents about his gender identity at the time “due to their conservative views.”
Roske’s sister highlighted their close relationship as siblings and d “experiences finding our identities in the LGBTQ community.”
“Instead of being met with treatment after this crisis, Sophie has been met with punishment,” his sister said. “She made the right choice in a difficult moment, yet she is being penalized for it, which is not how I view justice.”
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