The California man who attempted to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, Nicholas Roske, recently began identifying as a woman by the name of “Sophie.” Roske never legally changed his name, but his defense counsel opted to refer to him as “Ms. Roske” in legal filings out of “respect.” Mainstream media outlets soon followed suit.
Roske was sentenced to 8 years in prison on Friday, a far cry from the 30 years to life the Trump administration’s Department of Justice requested. Mainstream outlets widely covered the sentencing. Some, like NBC News, published headlines that referred to Roske as a “woman.” Others, like the Wall Street Journal, opted to call Roske a “Person” in their headlines. All of them, however, referred to Roske as a “she” in their stories. Here’s a roundup of the coverage:
NBC News
Woman sentenced to 8 years for attempting to assassinate Brett Kavanaugh
“A woman who pleaded guilty to attempting to assassinate Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh three years ago was sentenced Friday to more than eight years in prison.
“Sophie Roske, now 29, was arrested near Kavanaugh’s home in June 2022 and told officials at the time that she intended to kill the associate justice, then herself.”
“U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman sentenced Roske to 97 months in prison – eight years and one month – saying that she felt Roske has shown remorse for her actions. She also ordered Roske, whom she referred to as a transgender woman, to a lifetime of supervised release.”
“In a federal filing last month, Roske’s attorneys referred to her as Sophie Roske, though the case is still captioned by her legal name because she did not ask to recaption the case, her attorneys said.”
Wall Street Journal
Person Who Plotted to Assassinate Brett Kavanaugh Sentenced to 8 Years
“Sophie Roske, 29, had committed an ‘extremely serious’ offense in plotting to kill Kavanaugh in hopes of reshaping the Supreme Court in 2022, Judge Deborah Boardman said during a hearing in Maryland. But Boardman, a Biden appointee, credited Roske with ultimately stopping herself from committing a ‘heinous crime’ and calling police to turn herself in and seek psychiatric help.”
“Her plan, she said, was to break into Kavanaugh’s home and kill him, then herself. Roske was initially charged under her legal name, Nicholas J. Roske. Her lawyers said in a court filing last month that she is transgender and goes by the name Sophie.”
“Prosecutors said she had gathered information on four sitting justices, plotting their addresses on a map. She practiced shooting at a firing range and researched online for methods of killing people.”
ABC News
Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s would-be assassin sentenced to 8 years prison
“Federal prosecutors had sought at least 30 years in prison for Sophie Roske, who arrived outside Kavanaugh’s home in June three years ago in possession of a Glock 17 pistol and an array of other tools that prosecutors said she intended to use to break in, restrain Kavanaugh, and ultimately kill him.”
“Roske, whose lawyers disclosed in court papers in September that Roske was in the process of transitioning from male to female, took a cab directly from Dulles Airport to Kavanaugh’s house and immediately observed Kavanaugh’s U.S. Marshals protective detail, after which she began walking away from the residence.”
“Further supporting her argument for some leniency in Roske’s sentence, Judge Boardman pointed to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order that mandates transgender inmates must serve in a prison corresponding with the gender they were assigned at birth.”
Associated Press
California resident gets over 8 years in prison for attempt to assassinate Justice Kavanaugh
“Sophie Roske, a transgender woman charged under her legal name, Nicholas Roske, had faced a maximum sentence of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman sentenced her to eight years and one month behind bars followed by a lifetime of court supervision. Prosecutors had asked for a prison sentence of no less than 30 years, which was the low end of the range recommended by sentencing guidelines.”
“Roske’s attorneys asked for a prison sentence of eight years. They said she is ashamed and remorseful for frightening Kavanaugh and his family.”
“Roske’s lawyers said she was struggling with mental illness and her gender identity. She came out to herself as a transgender woman in 2020 but kept it a secret from her parents. She recently resumed receiving gender-affirming care while imprisoned, according to her attorneys.”
New York Times
Justice Kavanaugh’s Would-Be Assassin Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison
“Sophie Roske traveled from California to Maryland intending to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh, then changed her mind and called 911.”
“Ms. Roske, 29, was charged under her legal name, Nicholas J. Roske. In September, her attorneys disclosed to the court that she is transgender and now uses the name Sophie.”
“The judge also said that a lower sentence was warranted because of an executive order issued by President Trump mandating that transgender women be held at male-only federal facilities, which she said could interfere with her continuing to receive gender transition care.”
“According to filings by her lawyers and by prosecutors, Ms. Roske was a high achiever in high school — an honors student and Eagle Scout — who struggled with her mental health as a young adult, especially during the isolating years of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Washington Post
Kavanaugh assassination plotter sentenced to eight years in prison
“In a recent court filing, attorneys representing Roske said their client goes by Sophie Roske and is transgender. Roske began transitioning in 2020, the filing says. Roske’s name in court headings remains Nicholas Roske. In court Friday, Roske’s attorneys, family members and Boardman referred to the defendant as Sophie Roske.”
“But Boardman stressed that the question before her wasn’t whether Roske was dangerous in 2022 but if she is dangerous now and if she will be dangerous in the future. Given Roske’s remorse from early in the case, Roske’s commitment to addressing mental health needs, strong family support and the post-prison supervision, Boardman said, she did not view Roske as a risk to public safety.”
Politico
Would-be Kavanaugh assassin sentenced to over 8 years in prison
“U.S. District Court Deborah Boardman imposed a 97-month prison term — just one month more than defense attorneys proposed — on Sophie Roske, 29, at the end of a daylong sentencing hearing. The judge also ordered that Roske be on supervised release, a form of probation, for the rest of her life.”
“Defense attorneys disclosed to the court last month that Roske is transgender and now uses the first name Sophie and female pronouns. Defense lawyers and family members did so Friday during their presentation, while the prosecutor who spoke at the sentencing generally avoided the issue by referring to Roske as ‘the defendant.’
“During Friday’s hearing, Boardman questioned whether Roske would receive adequate mental health treatment in federal prison. The judge referenced President Donald Trump’s executive order banning gender-affirming care for federal inmates.”
“A lawyer for Roske, Assistant Federal Defender Andrew Szekely, said he is confident that the Bureau of Prisons will give Roske the medicine she requires, but ‘beyond that little is sure.'”
CNN
“The Californian, who identifies as a woman by the name Sophie Roske, called the police on herself on a street nearby the Justice’s house in the summer of 2022. She told the 911 operator she needed psychiatric help and had intended to hurt Kavanaugh and herself.”
“Roske, addressing the court Friday after her mother’s tearful testimony, apologized to Kavanaugh, his family, and hers.”
“The judge found that Roske’s mental health crisis at the time, as well as an improper mixing of certain medications and the significant fact that Roske turned herself in, weighed heavily in favor of a hefty but not overly punitive sentence.”
