Nicholas John Roske Pleads Not Guilty To Trying To Kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh

Nicholas John Roske, 26, pleaded not guilty to trying to kill Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh after he was arrested outside of Kavanaugh’s Maryland home on June 8.

Roske arrived at the Chevy Chase, Maryland residence in the middle of the night, and left the area after seeing U.S. Marshals around the property. He then reportedly called authorities and told police he had traveled to Maryland to kill a Supreme Court justice. He also said he was armed and having suicidal thoughts.

He was indicted by a grand jury on the charge of attempting to assassinate a Supreme Court justice last week. A trial is tentatively set for August 23. Roske appeared distressed at times during his arraignment, clasping his head with his hands and bowing over while talking to U.S. magistrate judge Ajmel Quereshi.

An affidavit apparently read that Roske “indicated that he believed the Justice … would side with Second Amendment decisions that would loosen gun control laws.” It also said “Roske stated that he’d been thinking about how to give his life a purpose and stated he would kill the Supreme Court Justice after finding the Justice’s Montgomery County address on the internet.”

Roske brought a gun, a knife and zip ties to Kavanaugh’s house. Investigators later also found pepper spray, a hammer, duct tape and other tools in his luggage.

He was also allegedly inspired by the court’s leaked draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. After this incident and moments of protests outside of Supreme Courts Justice’s houses, Congress has increased security around the homes of the judges and President Joe Biden signed the bill approving it.