GREENBELT, Md. — A California man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to attempting to murder U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his Maryland home nearly three years ago, in a case that shook the nation and led to increased security for the nation’s highest court.
Nicholas John Roske, 29, of Simi Valley, California, admitted guilt in a federal courtroom in Greenbelt, Maryland, without securing a plea deal with prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman set sentencing for October 3, where Roske faces a potential sentence of 30 years to life in prison, per federal guidelines.
Roske was arrested in June 2022 near Justice Kavanaugh’s home in the Chevy Chase suburb of Washington, D.C. According to authorities, he arrived by taxi shortly after 1 a.m. wearing black clothing and carrying a Glock 9mm handgun, a knife, zip ties, and burglary tools.
Court documents reveal Roske had meticulously planned the attack. Prosecutors say he searched online for the home addresses of Supreme Court justices and studied methods of breaking into homes and carrying out silent killings. Encrypted messages uncovered by the FBI show that he believed killing one justice could influence the decisions of the nine-member court “for decades to come.” In one chilling message, Roske wrote, “I am shooting for 3.”
Roske was reportedly motivated by outrage over a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion indicating the potential reversal of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. He also expressed anger over mass shootings, including the Uvalde, Texas school massacre, and feared that Justice Kavanaugh would vote to relax gun control laws.
Roske was apprehended after he called 911 himself, stating that he was experiencing suicidal and homicidal thoughts. U.S. Marshals assigned to Kavanaugh’s round-the-clock security detail spotted and arrested him near the justice’s home. Police seized his backpack and suitcase, which contained tactical gear, a lock pick, black face paint, a glass cutter, suction cup, and other tools.
During the plea hearing, Roske told the judge he was being treated for a mental illness while in custody. When asked if he was thinking clearly, he replied, “I believe so.”
Court filings detail the extent of Roske’s preparation. In May 2022, he purchased tactical supplies and a Glock pistol, which he tested at a local shooting range. On June 5, he booked a one-way flight from Los Angeles to Dulles International Airport. Upon arrival on June 7, he took a taxi directly to Kavanaugh’s residence. He texted his sister on the way, telling her that he loved her.
The case intensified calls for enhanced security for Supreme Court justices, especially in the wake of mounting protests outside their homes following the leak of the draft opinion. Roske’s arrest prompted the U.S. House to pass legislation extending 24/7 security protection to justices’ families.
The trial had been scheduled to begin on June 9, but Roske’s guilty plea brings that process to a halt. He now awaits sentencing, with the eyes of the legal and political world once again focused on the Supreme Court and the risks its members face.
