WASHINGTON, D.C. — Nicholas Roske, the California man charged with attempting to assassinate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, has announced plans to plead guilty in federal court, nearly three years after his arrest outside the justice’s home.
According to court filings submitted Monday night, Roske’s attorneys have requested a change-of-plea hearing for next week, during which he intends to admit guilt to the charge of attempting to assassinate a federal judge. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
Roske, 28, was arrested in June 2022 outside Kavanaugh’s Maryland residence. He was found with a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a tactical knife, zip ties, pepper spray, and burglary tools. According to the criminal complaint, Roske traveled from California with the intent to kill Justice Kavanaugh, allegedly motivated by the leaked Supreme Court draft opinion indicating the court’s intention to overturn Roe v. Wade.
At the time, the incident sparked national outrage and renewed debate over the safety and security of justices and other public officials. Congress responded by passing emergency legislation to expand security for the families of Supreme Court justices.
In a statement following Roske’s arrest, the Department of Justice said, “Threats against our nation’s judiciary are threats against democracy itself. We take these matters with the utmost seriousness.”
Legal analysts note that a guilty plea will spare the court and the nation a high-profile and politically charged trial. “This case was deeply entangled in broader cultural and legal battles surrounding abortion rights, judicial independence, and domestic extremism,” said Amanda Reed, a professor of law at Georgetown University.
Roske has been held without bail since his arrest. Sources close to the case suggest that the plea agreement may not include leniency, given the gravity of the charge and the premeditated nature of the offense.
Justice Kavanaugh has not commented publicly on the case. The Supreme Court declined to respond to a request for comment.
Roske’s guilty plea hearing is expected to take place early next week in U.S. District Court in Maryland. His sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.
The case remains a chilling reminder of the volatile political climate in which the U.S. judiciary now operates.