Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s would-be assassin now identifies as a transgender woman who has suffered severe mental illness, including suicidal ideation, according to newly surfaced court filings.
Defense attorneys revealed Friday that 29-year-old Nicholas John Roske, who pleaded guilty in April to attempting to kill Kavanaugh, will henceforth be referred to by her lawyers as “Sophie Roske.”
The public defenders assigned to Roske’s case indicated in a court filing that they will refer to their client with female pronouns “out of respect,” though Roske has not filed to legally change it.
The legal filing was first spotted by the news site Daily Wire. The Post has sought comment from the public defenders.
Roske was arrested outside Kavanaugh’s Maryland home in June 2022, carrying a Glock 17 pistol, ammunition, a tactical light, zip ties, pepper spray and burglary tools.
He told investigators he planned to kill the justice after the Supreme Court’s draft decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was leaked.
Justice Department prosecutors are demanding a sentence of no less than 30 years, warning in their filing that any attack on a sitting judge “must be justly and severely condemned.”
“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.
Attorney General Pam Bondi called Roske a “disturbed individual” and blasted the plot as “political violence.”
“This attempt against the life of a Supreme Court Justice was an attack on the entire judicial system that cannot go unpunished,” Bondi told Daily Wire.
The news site reported that Roske was already using female identities online before the assassination attempt.
Authorities say Roske meticulously researched assassination methods, searching online for “quietest semi auto rifle,” “most effective way to silently kill someone,” and “countries least likely to extradite to the US.”
In Discord chats, Roske admitted he was suicidal but wanted to “do something positive before I die” by preventing Kavanaugh from voting to overturn Roe.
He asked friends whether eliminating justices would “help women long term” and declared the Roe and gay marriage rulings had him “furious.”
When arrested, Roske confessed to police that he bought the gun “with the intention of using it. To kill [the justice] and then myself.”
He told detectives his sister persuaded him to call 911 before carrying out the attack.
Prosecutors say Roske targeted multiple justices and bought weapons after protests outside their homes revealed addresses online.
He searched for “does the Secret Service protect Supreme Court justices” and studied leaked photographs of Kavanaugh’s residence.
The May 2022 Politico leak of the draft Dobbs opinion triggered nationwide protests. Demonstrators gathered outside the homes of conservative justices, prompting federal security upgrades.
To date, the source of the leak has never been identified.
Court records show Roske began researching weapons and assassination tactics in March 2022.
He googled “which person’s death would have the biggest impact on the world,” “how to break glass quietly” and “how to make handcuffs with zip ties.”
By April, his searches included mass shooting videos and school shooter footage. He also looked up which silencers are best for a Glock pistol and whether “snipers aim for the head or the chest.”
In one chilling message, Roske 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.”
He purchased his Glock and tools before boarding a plane from California to Dulles International Airport. From there, he went to Kavanaugh’s neighborhood with the intention of killing the justice.
Authorities later confirmed he tracked the justice’s home through activist posts online that included house numbers and photographs.
Prosecutors disclosed that Roske searched 28 times for body armor after the Supreme Court leak and made more than 90 firearms-related searches in the weeks before his arrest.
He also researched insanity defenses, searching: “What happens if you are suicidal in prison” and “If you are hospitalized after a crime what happens.”
Despite pleading guilty, Roske’s case has largely disappeared from public discussion since 2022. Friday’s filing marked the first public confirmation that the would-be assassin now identifies as transgender.
The revelation comes as federal authorities face mounting pressure over what some conservative groups call a pattern of violence linked to trans-identifying individuals.
Earlier this month, the Oversight Project urged the FBI to classify “Transgender Ideology Violent Extremism” as a domestic threat.
The Daily Wire reported the Justice Department has discussed restricting gun access for people with gender dysphoria, labeling it a mental disorder that poses a potential risk for violence.
As for Roske, prosecutors said his planned attack represented an effort to “single-handedly alter the Constitutional order for ideological ends.”
Sentencing is expected later this year.
Recent high-profile shootings have drawn attention to suspects with transgender ties, though the circumstances vary.
The revelation comes a week after Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old from Utah, allegedly shot and killed Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk.
In the Kirk case, the alleged shooter was not transgender, but his romantic partner was transitioning — fueling speculation that the assassination of the conservative activist had a trans-related motive.
Last month, Robin Westman, a trans woman, carried out a deadly shooting at a Minneapolis church, leaving writings that revealed deep personal turmoil and fixation on mass violence.
Two children — an 8-year-old boy and a 10-year-old girl — were killed.
At least 18 others — including more children and elderly parishioners — were injured. The suspect, Westman, died by suicide at the scene.
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