On October 3, 2025, a federal courtroom in Greenbelt, Maryland, became the stage for one of the most closely watched sentencing hearings in recent judicial memory. Sophie Roske, a 29-year-old California resident, received a sentence of eight years and one month in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempting to assassinate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh at his Chevy Chase home in June 2022. The punishment, handed down by U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman, was a fraction of what prosecutors had sought and has since sparked debate about justice, mental health, and the rising tide of political violence in America.
Roske, who was 26 at the time of the incident and identified as Nicholas Roske, arrived in Maryland after weeks of meticulous planning. According to court records cited by The Associated Press and The Washington Post, she flew cross-country, took a taxi from Dulles International Airport, and appeared on Kavanaugh’s suburban street just after 1 a.m. Armed with a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a tactical light, zip ties, pepper spray, burglary tools, and other equipment, Roske was prepared for a deadly encounter. But upon noticing two U.S. Marshals Service deputies stationed outside the justice’s home, she hesitated. Instead of moving forward with her plan, Roske called her sister, then dialed 911, reporting suicidal and homicidal thoughts and asking for psychiatric help.
Judge Boardman, in her ruling, described Roske’s conduct as “reprehensible” but credited her with abandoning the plot before law enforcement had any inkling of her presence. “This is an atypical defendant in an atypical case,” Boardman remarked, as reported by AP. The judge acknowledged the real harm and trauma inflicted upon Kavanaugh and his family, but also considered Roske’s voluntary disclosure, lack of criminal history, and clear remorse. Boardman further noted the unique challenges Roske would face as a transgender woman in federal custody, especially in light of a Trump-era executive order that restricts gender-affirming care and requires transgender women to be housed in male prisons.
The prosecution, however, was unsatisfied with the outcome. Assistant U.S. Attorney Coreen Mao characterized Roske as “a very real threat to our system of government,” emphasizing the seriousness of her actions and intent. “No judge or public official should have to live under the fear thinking that at any moment, at any given day, at any given time, they could be killed in cold blood simply for doing their job,” Mao stated in court. Prosecutors had asked for no less than 30 years, the low end of federal sentencing guidelines for such an offense, and argued that the sentence should send a clear deterrent message to others contemplating similar acts.
The Justice Department, echoing these sentiments, signaled plans to appeal what Attorney General Pam Bondi called “the woefully insufficient sentence.” In a public statement, Bondi described the attempted assassination as “a disgusting attack against our entire judicial system by a profoundly disturbed individual.” The department’s sentencing memo painted Roske’s objective—targeting and potentially killing judges to alter the course of Supreme Court decisions—as “an abhorrent form of terrorism” that “strikes at the core of the United States Constitution and our prescribed system of government.”
Roske’s motivations were rooted in the political and cultural turmoil of the times. According to an FBI affidavit referenced by Politico and The Daily Caller, Roske was furious after a leaked draft opinion suggested the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark case guaranteeing abortion rights. She was also distraught over the school massacre in Uvalde, Texas, and believed Justice Kavanaugh would vote to relax gun laws. “The thought of Roe v. Wade and gay marriage both being repealed has me furious,” Roske wrote in encrypted messages, also expressing intentions to target two additional justices. “I am shooting for 3,” she stated in a chilling admission over a messaging platform.
The case has become emblematic of a disturbing trend: a surge in threats and violence directed at the judiciary. The U.S. Marshals Service reported that threats and “inappropriate communications” aimed at federal judges and court employees soared from 926 incidents in 2015 to 4,511 in 2021. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mao pointed to a recent threat mailed to Kavanaugh that referenced Roske, underscoring ongoing concerns about the safety of public officials.
Roske’s defense team, meanwhile, portrayed her as a deeply troubled individual struggling with mental illness and gender identity. In court filings and letters from family members, they detailed a history of major depression, a suicide attempt in 2015, and deteriorating mental health exacerbated by the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic. Roske realized she was transgender in 2020 but concealed it from her conservative parents, leading to a combative family relationship and further psychological distress. Her lawyers emphasized that Roske’s plan to kill Kavanaugh was, in many ways, secondary to her months-long desire to end her own life. “Crucially, she stopped short of causing harm to another person,” they wrote. “Her actions resulted in large part from isolation and inadequately treated mental illness. But in her deepest moment of crisis she showed her humanity.”
During the sentencing hearing, Roske addressed the court with visible emotion, apologizing to Justice Kavanaugh, his family, and the Supreme Court. “I have been portrayed as a monster, and this tragic mistake that I made will follow me for the rest of my life,” she said. In a letter to the court, Roske added, “I am also sorry for contributing to a trend of political violence in American politics. I can see now how destructive and misguided such acts are, and am ashamed to have not recognized these things sooner.”
Her parents, Vernon and Colleen Roske, also offered apologies to Kavanaugh and reflected on their own regrets. Vernon Roske admitted, “I should have pushed for her to get better care.” The court heard testimony from Roske’s sister as well, painting a picture of a family grappling with pain, misunderstanding, and the consequences of untreated mental illness.
Roske pleaded guilty earlier this year to a single count of attempting to assassinate a Supreme Court justice. In addition to the prison term and lifetime supervision, she must forfeit the weapons and tools seized from her luggage and pay a standard special assessment fee. Kavanaugh and his family did not attend the sentencing and chose not to submit a victim impact statement.
This case, with its blend of political outrage, personal anguish, and legal consequence, has left many searching for answers. As the nation continues to confront rising threats against public officials, the story of Sophie Roske stands as a sobering reminder of the volatile intersection between mental health, ideology, and the rule of law. The courtroom’s final gavel may have fallen, but the questions it raises about justice, safety, and compassion are far from settled.
