In a chilling case that shook the nation, prosecutors are pushing for a minimum 30-year prison sentence for Sophie Roske, who admitted to plotting the assassination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2022, as Politico reports.

Federal prosecutors argue that Roske's meticulously planned attempt to kill Kavanaugh at his Maryland home was an act of terrorism aimed at altering Supreme Court rulings, while the defense seeks a lighter eight-year sentence, citing mental health and personal struggles.

The events leading to Roske's arrest began in early 2022, as tensions mounted over a leaked draft opinion from POLITICO in May that signaled the potential reversal of Roe v. Wade.

Disturbing motives behind deadly plan

Roske, then 30, expressed fury over the draft leak and feared the loss of same-sex marriage rights, according to an online post linked to her by prosecutors.

Evidence uncovered by authorities revealed that Roske had researched serial killers and murder techniques months before the leak, indicating premeditation beyond the abortion ruling.

Prosecutors also noted that Roske, using the Discord handle Sophie42#6535 by March 2022, had studied four Supreme Court justices, though only Kavanaugh’s name was made public in filings.

From online anger to real-world threat

On June 8, 2022, Roske flew from California to Maryland, arriving near Kavanaugh’s home in the early morning hours with a bag containing weapons and tools for the attempt.

U.S. marshals spotted Roske outside the justice’s residence, but she walked away before being apprehended.

After texting her sister, who urged her to seek help, Roske called 911 herself, leading to her arrest by local police without incident near Kavanaugh’s house.

Legal proceedings, personal revelations

Roske has remained in custody since her arrest and, after years of negotiations, pleaded guilty in April 2025 to one count of attempted assassination of a Supreme Court justice, with no plea deal in place.

Defense attorneys disclosed that Roske is transgender, identifying as Sophie since coming out to close family and friends in late 2020 and early 2021. However, her legal name remains unchanged in court filings.

The defense is requesting an eight-year sentence, pointing to Roske’s long-standing mental health challenges, medication effects at the time, and struggles with gender identity as mitigating factors.

Contrasting arguments emerge

Prosecutors, led by U.S. Attorney for Maryland Kelly Hayes, have called Roske’s actions a form of terrorism, stating, “The defendant’s objective -- to target and kill judges to seek to alter a court’s ruling -- is an abhorrent form of terrorism and strikes at the core of the United States Constitution.”

Attorney General Pam Bondi echoed this sentiment, declaring, “This attempt against the life of a Supreme Court Justice was an attack on the entire judicial system that cannot go unpunished.”

Roske, in a handwritten apology to Kavanaugh and his family, expressed remorse, writing, “I put them through a harrowing experience, and for that I am truly sorry. I am very glad I did not continue.”