Nicholas Roske, who tried to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022, now identifies as a transgender woman named Sophie, according to recent legal documents. The Department of Justice recommends a 30-year prison sentence for the 29-year-old, who pleaded guilty earlier this year. The case highlights ongoing concerns about threats to judicial officials amid political tensions.
In June 2022, authorities arrested 29-year-old Nicholas Roske outside Justice Brett Kavanaugh's home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, after he arrived from California armed with a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, tactical gear, and burglary tools. Roske had flown into Dulles International Airport, motivated by a leaked Supreme Court draft opinion published by Politico in May 2022, which indicated the court was set to overturn Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision legalizing abortion nationwide.
Roske, who described himself as actively suicidal, told officers upon arrest: "I was thinking about killing Brett Kavanaugh and then killing myself." He later explained to detectives that the leak upset him and led him to view the assassination as a way to "do something positive before I die" and improve the world. Court documents detail his extensive online research in the preceding months, including over 90 searches for firearms, combat tactics, and methods to silently kill or escape, such as "best silencers for Glock 17" and "countries that don’t extradite to the US." On Discord, he expressed fury over potential repeals of Roe v. Wade and protections for gay marriage, questioning if removing certain justices would help women long-term.
Roske pleaded guilty in April 2025 to attempting to kill a U.S. Supreme Court justice. A recent filing from his defense team, obtained by The Daily Wire, reveals he now uses the name Sophie Roske and female pronouns. The lawyers stated: "Out of respect for Ms. Roske, the balance of this pleading and counsel’s in-court argument will refer to her as Sophie and use female pronouns." A source familiar with the case confirmed Roske had adopted female identities online prior to the attempt.
The Department of Justice argues for a sentence of at least 30 years, emphasizing the need to deter violence against public officials. Attorney General Pam Bondi described the plot as "political violence" by a "disturbed individual," adding: "This Department of Justice condemns political violence and our prosecutors will ensure that this disturbed individual faces severe consequences for his deranged actions." The filings note Roske targeted Kavanaugh and potentially two other justices to alter the constitutional order for ideological reasons, underscoring the broader threat to the judiciary following the 2022 leak, which intensified protests and doxxing of justices' addresses.
