GREENBELT, Maryland — A trial will begin in June 2025 for a California man accused of trying to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh in his suburban Washington, D.C., home
U.S. District Judge Peter Messitte set the trial date for Nicholas John Roske during a hearing Tuesday at the federal courthouse in Greenbelt, Maryland. It was the first hearing in the case in nearly two years.
Roske, from Simi Valley, California, was arrested near Kavanaugh’s home in Chevy Chase, Maryland, in June 2022. Roske was armed with a handgun and a knife, carrying zip ties and dressed in black when he arrived in the area by taxi just after 1 a.m., federal authorities said.
Roske, who was 26 when he was arrested, pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder of a United States judge. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
After his arrest, Roske told a detective he was upset about a leaked draft advice suggesting that the Supreme Court was planning to overturn Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide, according to an affidavit by an FBI agent.
Killing one lawyer could change the court’s decisions “for decades,” Roske wrote online, before adding: “I’m aiming for three,” authorities said.
The leaked draft opinion sparked protests, including outside several justices’ houses. Roske’s arrest spurred the U.S. House to pass a bill extension of 24-hour security for the judges’ families.
Roske also said he was upset about the school massacre in Uvalde, Texasand believed that Kavanaugh would vote to relax gun control laws, according to the statement.
Roske was arrested after calling 911 and telling a police dispatcher he was near Kavanaugh’s home and planning to commit suicide. Roske was spotted by two U.S. marshals who were part of the justices’ 24-hour security detail.
Roske, who is being held in Baltimore while awaiting trial, was led into the courtroom Tuesday in shackles and handcuffs. He did not speak during the 20-minute hearing.
Jury selection is scheduled for June 9. “Jury selection in this case may take a little bit longer,” Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Gavin said in court Tuesday. The trial is expected to last about a week.
In a court filing last month, Gavin said prosecutors and defense attorneys were unable to negotiate the terms of a “preliminary resolution of this case,” such as a plea agreement.
At an October 2022 hearing, Messitte said there was a “very strong likelihood” he would order a mental evaluation for Roske to determine whether he was fit to assist his defense, make a possible plea of guilty or stand trial.
Andrew Szekely, one of Roske’s attorneys, said during Tuesday’s hearing that the defense is not requesting a court-ordered mental examination of Roske.