In a dramatic and unsettling development, newly unsealed court filings have revealed that Nicholas John Roske—the individual who attempted to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in June 2022—now identifies as a transgender woman named Sophie Roske. The revelation, which surfaced in a Friday court filing ahead of Roske’s sentencing, has reignited debates about judicial security, political violence, and the intersection of mental health and criminal intent in high-profile cases.
Roske, who is 29 years old, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to a felony charge of attempting to assassinate a Supreme Court justice, according to reporting from The Economic Times and Fox News. The attack was meticulously planned and timed during one of the most contentious periods in the Court’s recent history: the aftermath of the leaked draft opinion indicating the Court’s intention to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark decision that had guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion for nearly 50 years. The official reversal came just weeks after Roske’s arrest.
According to court documents cited by The Daily Wire and The Washington Post, Roske traveled from California to the Washington, D.C. suburbs armed with a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a tactical light, zip ties, pepper spray, a crowbar, and burglary tools. She had researched assassination methods online, searching for phrases like “how much force do you need to stab someone’s neck,” “most effective way to silently kill someone,” and “how to break a lock.” Prosecutors also noted that Roske’s Google account contained a map with pins marking what she believed to be the residences of four sitting Supreme Court justices—indicating that the plan may have extended beyond Kavanaugh alone. At the time, the Court’s conservative majority was under intense scrutiny and protest, especially after the draft opinion leak.
Roske’s intent was clear. In Discord chats and police interviews, she admitted to buying the gun “with the intention of using it to kill the justice and then myself.” She further confessed that her actions were motivated by a desire to prevent Kavanaugh from voting to overturn Roe v. Wade, and she asked friends online whether eliminating justices would “help women long term.” Roske’s online posts revealed anger over both the abortion and gay marriage rulings, saying these decisions had left her “furious.”
The events of June 8, 2022, unfolded with chilling precision. Roske arrived at Kavanaugh’s home but, upon noticing a deputy U.S. Marshal stationed outside, decided to walk past the house instead. After a roughly 20-minute conversation with her sister, Roske dialed 911 and turned herself in—an act her defense attorneys say was prompted by her sister’s intervention. Authorities recovered the weapons and tools Roske brought, and she was arrested without incident.
The court filings also shed light on Roske’s mental health struggles. Defense attorneys disclosed that Roske had suffered from severe mental illness, including suicidal ideation, for about a decade. In one message, she wrote, “My mental health is too poor for me to fear death. But prison sounds worse… To be monitored to the point where you can’t even kill yourself.” She had also searched online for “what happens if you are suicidal in prison” and “if you are hospitalized after a crime what happens.” Prosecutors, however, emphasized that while Roske’s mental health issues were real, they “do not excuse, nor did they cause” her decision to travel across the country and attempt to assassinate a Supreme Court justice.
The Department of Justice has taken a hard line, urging the court to impose a sentence of no less than 30 years, and possibly up to life in prison. “This Court’s sentence must send the unequivocal, clear, and strong message that attempted violence and threats of violence against members of the judiciary… cannot and will not be tolerated,” the DOJ wrote in its sentencing memorandum, as reported by Fox News. Prosecutors described Roske’s crime as an act of terrorism, arguing that she sought “single-handedly and irrevocably to alter an entire branch of the United States government through violence.”
Roske’s defense team, meanwhile, has begun referring to her as “Sophie” and using female pronouns “out of respect,” though no legal name change has been filed. A footnote in the latest court documents reads, “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.” It remains unclear whether Roske is undergoing any medical treatments related to gender transition; the Bureau of Prisons declined to comment on the specifics, citing privacy and security reasons.
The case has also become entangled in broader national debates. Conservative groups have seized on the revelation of Roske’s transgender identity, with some urging the FBI to classify “Transgender Ideology Violent Extremism” as a domestic threat. The Daily Wire reported that the Justice Department has internally discussed the risks posed by people with gender dysphoria and the possibility of restricting gun access for those diagnosed with the condition. These discussions are taking place as recent high-profile shootings involving individuals with transgender ties have drawn widespread media attention and political commentary, though the circumstances of each case vary widely.
The attempted assassination of Justice Kavanaugh occurred just two weeks before the Supreme Court’s official ruling overturning Roe v. Wade, a decision that triggered nationwide protests and intensified scrutiny of the Court’s conservative majority. Demonstrators gathered outside the homes of justices, prompting federal security upgrades. The source of the draft opinion leak that precipitated these events remains unidentified to this day.
In the wake of the Kavanaugh incident and the more recent assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, House Republicans have passed a stopgap measure boosting the Supreme Court’s security fund by $28 million. However, the package does not address security concerns for lower court judges, leaving some critics to argue that the judiciary as a whole remains vulnerable.
As Roske’s sentencing date of October 3, 2025 approaches, the case continues to provoke strong reactions across the political spectrum. Attorney General Pam Bondi called Roske a “disturbed individual” and characterized the plot as “political violence.” She told The Daily Wire, “This attempt against the life of a Supreme Court Justice was an attack on the entire judicial system that cannot go unpunished.”
For many, the case is a stark reminder of the increasingly volatile intersection of politics, ideology, and personal crisis in America today. The judiciary, once considered above the political fray, now finds itself a focal point for public anger and, alarmingly, targeted violence. The sentencing of Sophie Roske will not only determine the fate of one individual but may also set the tone for how the nation responds to threats against its highest court in the years to come.
