Justice Kavanaugh’s Near-Death Plot: A Warning Sign for American Democracy
On Friday, October 3, 2025, Sophie Roske—the transgender woman who attempted to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022—faces sentencing after pleading guilty to a chilling, premeditated plot. Prosecutors are demanding at least 30 years in prison, calling her actions a ‘coldblooded’ act of political violence that reflects a dangerous new trend in America.
Who Is Sophie Roske?
- Age: 29
- Former Name: Nicholas J. Roske (legally changed)
- Background: Eagle Scout, honors student, struggled with mental health and gender identity
- Motive: Anger over leaked Dobbs draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade
- Weapons Carried: Glock 9mm pistol, zip ties, duct tape, crowbar, pepper spray
Infographic: Timeline of the Assassination Attempt
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May–June 2022 | Online searches for “how to kill a Supreme Court justice” |
| June 7, 2022 | Flew from California to Virginia; took taxi to Kavanaugh’s Maryland home |
| Early June 8, 2022 | Called sister, then dialed 911 to surrender before attack |
| 2023–2025 | Legal proceedings, mental health evaluations, guilty plea |
| October 3, 2025 | Sentencing hearing in Greenbelt, MD federal court |
The Plot That Shook the Judiciary
Roske’s plan was chillingly detailed: break into Justice Kavanaugh’s home, kill him, then herself. She told investigators she believed eliminating one justice could “change votes for decades.” Her radicalization unfolded largely online—on Reddit and Discord—where she reportedly asked, “Whose death would have the biggest impact on the world?”
Though she never reached the house—U.S. Marshals were already stationed nearby—her arrest exposed alarming vulnerabilities in judicial security and ignited bipartisan calls for reform.
Visual: Federal Courthouse in Greenbelt, MD
Rising Threats Against Judges
Roske’s case is not isolated. According to U.S. Marshals Service data:
- Threats against federal judges **more than doubled** from 2019 to 2023
- In 2020, Judge Esther Salas’s son was murdered at her home
- Post-Dobbs, protests and threats surged at justices’ residences
“This isn’t just left or right—it’s a systemic crisis,” said Colin P. Clarke of the Soufan Center. “Lone actors with grievances see violence as the only recourse.”
Mental Health, Identity, and Radicalization
Court filings reveal Roske’s inner turmoil: raised in a conservative Christian household, she secretly transitioned during the pandemic while battling depression and isolation. Her parents reportedly attributed one suicide attempt to “satanic forces.” Therapy access vanished during lockdowns, and online communities became her only outlet—some of them extremist.
Her defense attorneys are requesting just 8 years in prison, citing mental illness and her voluntary surrender. Prosecutors counter that intent matters more than outcome: “She came within minutes of changing American history.”
A Nation at a Crossroads
The Roske case has become a flashpoint in debates over free speech, judicial safety, and political extremism. In response, Congress passed a law in 2023 to shield judges’ home addresses from public records.
As Judge Salas poignantly noted: “We have to learn to disagree better.”
