Man Arrested Outside Kavanaugh's Home Indicted By Grand Jury For Attempted Murder

A federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted Nicholas John Roske on federal charges of attempting to murder Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh. 

The 26-year-old Roske was charged with one count of attempting to murder a justice of the United States. If convicted as charged, Roske faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. An initial appearance has not yet been scheduled.

The one-count indictment and other court documents claim Roske intended to kill Kavanaugh when he traveled from California to Maryland. Roske arrived at Kavanaugh's Maryland residence in the early morning of June 8. 

As CBS News previously reported, U.S. Deputy Marshals reported seeing a person dressed in black clothing, and carrying a backpack and suitcase, get out of a taxi that stopped in front of a current justice's house at roughly 1:05 a.m., according to an affidavit. 

The Montgomery County Emergency Communications Center then received a call from someone, who identified himself as Roske, saying he was having suicidal thoughts and had a firearm in his suitcase. Roske also said he came from California to kill a "specific United States Supreme Court justice," according to the filing. 

The indictment also seeks the forfeiture of a firearm, magazines loaded with 10 rounds of ammunition, 17 rounds of ammunition in a plastic bag, and other items authorities believe he intended to use to assassinate the justice. 

On Tuesday, the House passed a bill intended to improve security for Supreme Court justices and their families, sending the bill to President Biden's desk. It passed the Senate last month. 

First published on June 15, 2022 / 5:48 PM

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