A teacher who expressed anger over the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade has pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. Nicholas John Roske was arrested outside Kavanaugh's home last year, allegedly armed with a firearm, a knife, and zip ties. Out of rage over the Court's landmark decision, he confessed to the crime. His actions highlight the alarming and dangerous rhetoric emanating from the left as violent threats against conservative justices and public figures continue to escalate.
On Tuesday, Nicholas Roske pleaded guilty to attempting to murder Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, just two months before his trial was set to begin for the 2022 plot. The 29-year-old from California is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman on October 3 and will remain in detention until then. The judge accepted the plea, confirming that Roske was "fully capable and competent" to enter it. During the hearing, Kavanaugh's name was not mentioned, with the justice only referred to as "Victim 1." Prosecutors have indicated that federal sentencing guidelines call for a prison term of 30 years to life. However, Judge Boardman stated she was uncertain about the specific sentencing guidelines applicable to Roske.
In June 2022, Roske traveled from California to Maryland and took a taxi to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home late at night. During the journey, he reportedly spoke with his sister, who urged him to call 911 rather than proceed with the attack. In a confession transcript, Roske explained that his anger toward the Supreme Court stemmed from his motivations. He claimed he was upset by the potential loosening of gun purchase restrictions for people like him, a claim he made during his arrest, in which he also identified as mentally ill. Roske further expressed his frustration with the Court’s potential decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, allowing states to regulate abortion. He revealed that he began formulating his plan after reading the leaked draft of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision in May 2022.
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In May 2022, Roske sent a message on an encrypted platform stating that assassinating just one Supreme Court justice could influence the decisions of the nine-member court "for decades to come" and added, "I am shooting for three."
A detective asked him what his plan was, to which he responded saying, “Break in, shoot him, and then shoot myself.”
“I was under the delusion that I could make the world a better place by killing him,” Roske added.
After his arrest, Roske told authorities that he had been struggling with suicidal thoughts for an extended period. His defense attorneys also stated in court filings that at the time of his apprehension, the 26-year-old appeared “acutely suicidal, visibly exhausted, and had repeatedly expressed a need for psychiatric care.”
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