Topline
An armed man who was arrested outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in the early hours of Wednesday morning has been charged with attempted murder, with federal authorities alleging the defendant was motivated by the Supreme Court’s apparent plan to overturn Roe v. Wade and a desire to “give his life a purpose.”
Brett Kavanaugh appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee during his Supreme Court confirmation … [+]
Key Facts
Nicholas John Roske—a 26-year-old California native—was charged with attempted murder of a United States judge, following his arrest in suburban Montgomery County, Md., the Department of Justice said in a press release.
The DOJ didn’t specify which Supreme Court justice’s home he was spotted near, but a spokesperson for the high court told Forbes an unnamed armed man who had made threats against Kavanaugh was arrested outside his home slightly before 2 a.m.
Roske allegedly arrived at the justice’s home with a suitcase and backpack and was quickly spotted by members of the U.S. Marshals Service, after which he called emergency services in Montgomery County and said he experienced suicidal thoughts and had traveled from California to kill a justice—leading local police to arrest him “without incident.”
In an affidavit, the FBI said Roske told local police he was “upset about the leak of a recent Supreme Court draft decision regarding the right to abortion” and was also concerned the high court would loosen gun control laws, and he believed killing a Supreme Court justice would “give his life a purpose.”
The DOJ says Roske’s suitcase and backpack contained a pistol with ammunition, pepper spray, zip ties, a crow bar and several tools.
Roske was scheduled to make an initial appearance in federal court in Maryland Wednesday afternoon—an attorney was not listed in court records.
Key Background
After Politico leaked a draft decision last month indicating the Supreme Court is poised to overturn the nationwide right to abortion, members of the court faced immense public pressure. Protesters assembled outside the homes of Kavanaugh and other conservative judges last month, a set of largely-peaceful events that some critics cast as intrusive and intimidating. Critics have also suggested the demonstrations may have violated a 72-year-old federal law that prohibits any attempts to influence judges by “picketing” near their homes. Meanwhile, a DHS memo reportedly warned law enforcement of an uptick in online threats against the Supreme Court building and justices.
Tangent
In response to these threats, Attorney General Merrick Garland directed the Marshals Service to provide around-the-clock security at Supreme Court justices’ homes. The Senate also unanimously passed a bill last month to boost security for justices’ families, though the bill is currently held up in the House.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/joewalsh/2022/06/08/feds-charge-california-man-with-attempted-murder-of-brett-kavanaugh/