California man angry about abortion, gun rights cases, pleads guilty to trying to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh
A California man angry about abortion and gun rights cases pleaded guilty on Tuesday to attempting to kill U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his Maryland home, the Justice Department said.
Nicholas John Roske, 29, of Simi Valley, admitted to flying from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C., on June 7, 2022 with a firearm and ammunition in his suitcase in an effort to target the high court justice, federal prosecutors said.
"This calculated attempt on the life of a sitting U.S. Supreme Court Justice was a heinous attack on the Court itself," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "Anyone who thinks they can use violence or intimidation to influence our courts will be met with the full force of the law and face up to life in prison."
After arriving in Washington, Roske took a taxi in the middle of the night to Montgomery County, Maryland, with the intention of killing Kavanaugh, authorities said.
At around 1:05 a.m. on June 8, 2022, two Deputy U.S. Marshals protecting Kavanaugh's home saw Roske arrive in front of the residence. He was wearing black clothing and had a backpack and suitcase, prosecutors said.
The U.S. Marshals, who were in a vehicle, got out as Roske began to walk down the street.
Shortly after, Roske called the Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center saying he was having homicidal and suicidal thoughts, had a gun in his suitcase, and flew from California to kill Kavanaugh.
Local authorities arrived at the scene where they searched Roske's suitcase and found a firearm; black tactical chest rig and tactical knife; two magazines, each containing 10 rounds of ammunition; 17 additional rounds; pepper spray; zip ties; a hammer; screwdrivers; a nail punch; a crowbar; a pistol light; duct tape; hiking boots with padding on the outside of the soles; and lock-pick tools, along with other items.
"The attempted assassination of a U.S. Supreme Court Justice is an extreme, brazen act, one that we — along with our federal, local, and state law-enforcement partners — will not tolerate," said U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes. "It's through these partnerships that we're able to hold criminals accountable and uphold the rule of law."
While being questioned by investigators, Roske said he was upset about a recent Supreme Court draft decision regarding the right to abortion as well as the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 elementary school students and two teachers.
"Roske indicated that he believed the Associate Justice that he intended to kill would side with Second Amendment decisions that would loosen gun control laws," prosecutors said in a court filing last week.
Prosecutors said Roske used an encrypted platform to send messages suggesting he planned to kill three Supreme Court justices.
"Im gonna stop roe v wade from being overturned," Roske allegedly said in the messages. "I could get at least one, which would change the votes for decades to come. and I am shooting for 3 ... at the end of the day biden still chooses the replacements. gop cant do s--- about it."
Roske faces up to life in prison when he's sentenced on Oct. 3.
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