१० जून, २०२२

"I’m standing now, but I can sit, whatever. I want to be fully compliant. So whatever they want me to do, I’ll do."

Said Nicholas Roske, in a 911 call, quoted in "New 911 tapes show how man accused in Kavanaugh murder plot abandoned plan/Authorities say Nicholas Roske was set to sneak into justice’s home with pad-soled boots for quiet walking" (WaPo).

As detailed as Roske’s plans may have been, court records and newly released 911 calls also document how quickly he abandoned them. Once arriving to the home early Wednesday, Roske spotted two deputy U.S. marshals, part of Kavanaugh’s security detail, standing outside a car, according to an FBI affidavit filed in federal court. He walked away, turned a corner and called 911 to turn himself in.... 

On the 911 recordings, Roske calmly answered questions, telling the operator... "I’ve been having [bad thoughts] for a long time.... I’m from California. I came over here to act on them.... I just came from the airport.... I need psychiatric help."

५७ टिप्पण्या:

Jake म्हणाले...

If he hadn’t seen the cops what would he have done? Anyway, lock him up and get him some help.

RideSpaceMountain म्हणाले...

"Pad-soled boots for quiet walking"

DOD did a test way back in the 60s to see if you could actually reduce the sound signature of footwear. True story. You know what won? Japanese jika-tabi, and as I recall not by much. Putting furniture moving material on your shoes does f*ck all to reduce the sound you make while you walk. How you move is way more important, followed by your footwear.

What a loon. Also, not a bit of this downgrades the seriousness of this legitimate threat on a SCOTUS justice...I mean that is what they're trying to say here isn't it?

Temujin म्हणाले...

My favorite line: "I’ve been having [bad thoughts] for a long time....I’m from California."

I know this is a horrible event that happened- a worse one almost happened. And I actually feel genuinely bad for the young man and his family. I am so glad he had enough of himself left to realize what he was about to do was a grave wrong.

But my first thought was that this guy had to be from Washington, Oregon, or California. And, of course, he was.

'I've been having some bad thoughts for a long time. I'm from (Washington, Oregon, or California).' Any of them would have worked. And yes, we have people losing it all over the world. But it seems like there's an extra effort to f*** up our kids in those three states. It's institutional.

Jersey Fled म्हणाले...

It's important to the WAPO that lefty Roske wasn't like really really going to kill Kavanaugh.

Wince म्हणाले...

"I’m standing now, but I can sit, whatever. I want to be fully compliant. So whatever they want me to do, I’ll do."

He could have been talking about Chuck Shumer.

Owen म्हणाले...

We’ll never know how quickly he would have called 911 and surrendered if he had not seen the marshals who had spotted him. An odd combination of apparently-meticulous planning and almost-instant failure of resolve. Maybe that’s characteristic of the unhinged mind; let the scholars work the “science” of this particular pathology. Meanwhile all we can do is redouble the protective security, and ask Chuck Schumer if he will ever eat his cheap and hateful words, and ask him also what he plans to do about the “mostly peaceful” protests being staged in clear violation of the law and common decency.

mikee म्हणाले...

Being a tough guy with a gun is easy, those with experience say, until somebody starts shooting back. Seems it is also true, as gun rights proponents say, that the mere presence of an armed opponent is enough to deter some violent criminal behavior.

Good on Roske for giving up on his fantasy of being a lone wolf assassin, righting the wrongs of the Supreme Court. And congrats to him for turning himself in, nonviolently. Insane fantasies can be hard to fight, but he succeeded. Here's hoping he receives treatment identical with that meted out to the attempted assassin of Ronald Reagan, and that he gets out of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in DC in about 40 years, cured of his mental problems.

tim maguire म्हणाले...

Another mental illness playing out as brutal murder. The delay in reporting is just because they haven't worked out the anti-Trump angle yet. Give them a few more days...

Mark म्हणाले...

I'm struggling to see what, if any, criminal offense was committed here.

Yes, assassination is horrific. But bad thoughts are not criminal. And the steps taken here are not close enough to constitute an attempted assassination. Maybe there is a charge here of carrying a concealed weapon, but that seems about it.

Now, sufficient facts to support a mental health detention is another thing.

~ Gordon Pasha म्हणाले...

Eugene Volokh writes that Rosie’s abandonment of the attempt to kidnap/murder Kavanaugh was too little, too late.

https://reason.com/volokh/2022/06/08/the-abandonment-defense-to-criminal-attempt-and-the-person-who-was-planning-to-kill-justice-kavanaugh/

Lem Vibe Bandit म्हणाले...

Police presence deterred someone from acting criminally.

My question is, if there wasn't a 911 recording verifying this turn of events, would this information been allowed to come out?

Police presence deterring potential violence is not helpful towards advancing the gun control narrative.

Lem Vibe Bandit म्हणाले...

Another interesting tidbit about this story.

Why would the would be assassin target justice Kavanaugh and not the writer of the leaked opinion, justice Alito?

It's like Kavanaugh was always the target, and Alito just provided an excuse.

I bet you this guy watched and followed the Kavanaugh confirmation process very closely.

Enigma म्हणाले...

Side point regarding prior Althouse "Hate Speech" posts: We do NOT have a hate speech problem. Hate speech is at best a footnote to the real issues. Crime happens because of (1) poor impulse control or "crimes of passion" and (2) mental illnesses involving dysfunctional fixations on people such as Jody Foster, Ronald Reagan, the Supreme Court, etc.

Hate, race, and group categorization is a distraction from the underlying mental illnesses. Tackle mental illness and crime will go down, plus the rampant social media nonsense will decline.

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

"My favorite line: "I’ve been having [bad thoughts] for a long time....I’m from California.""

That is funny, but actually caused by my elisions. The 911 operator was asking questions (you know how they keep the caller on the line).

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

The WaPo article addresses the legal question whether the elements of attempted murder are there if he stopped himself and he called 911 on himself. It suggests the answer has to do with how far he went toward his goal before he stopped.

If you go out with a gun and fully intend to kill a person and in the middle of your approach to that person, you decide not to do it, are you guilty of attempted murder?

I'm sure I learned something about that in law school 40 years ago, but the question is what do the applicable statutes and case law say about that now. I honestly don't know.

What if Adam Lanza, on his way to Sandy Hook, had a moment of lucidity and called 911 and said "I need psychiatric help" — would he have been charged with crimes or would they have put him where I think he belonged: in a mental institution.

I think we'd be safer if these unhinged and dangerous people could turn themselves in and get psychiatric help.

paminwi म्हणाले...

He drove across the country with all his murdering tear.
He wanted to kill Kavanaugh.
He calls 911 and says he’s crazy.
This is his get out of jail card.

Ann Althouse म्हणाले...

"What if Adam Lanza, on his way to Sandy Hook..."

That hypo should begin before he killed his mother.

YoungHegelian म्हणाले...

From Another source:
In [suspect's] suitcase and backpack were a Glock 17 with two magazines and ammunition, pepper spray, a tactical knife, a hammer, a screwdriver, a crow bar, zip ties and duct tape, along with other gear.

From The WaPo article:

. I just came from the airport....

As I suspected since this guy traveled from California, this means that TSA let this idiot through. Do I think he brought the list of articles above as carry-on? I doubt it, but maybe. But even so, checked baggage is now x-rayed, too. Didn't such a collection of items as above make the TSA agent stop and go "wait a minute...." when he saw it on the screen?

This needs to be investigated (yeah, right...). Either TSA failed miserably in its duties or the would-be assassin had help on the inside (a distinct possibility).

rcocean म्हणाले...

LOL! So, the FBI and Federal Police did very little. He turned himself in. And just in time to help pass a bill to provide personal security for Federal Judges, congessmen, their staffs, and unknown other DC Federal Employees.

I guess having 25,000 NG troops to protect them was bad optics.

rcocean म्हणाले...

Still wondering how a "California Man" ends up in MD with glock and ammo. Did he buy in MD? Did he take it on the plane?

wendybar म्हणाले...

Where is the Attorney General. WHY are protesters being allowed to protest in front of the Supreme Court justices homes when it is illegal. It's almost like they WANT something to happen to one of the conservative justices so they can insert Brown-Jackson, and have another vote to continue murdering babies right up to the day they are born. It is obvious they don't care.

Howard म्हणाले...

From my experience, crazy people don't know they are crazy. The problem is the system will not force a crazy person to get help until they have gone off the deep end and have caused harm to themselves and or others.

Civil rights are a double edged sword.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

How did he get the evil gun?

Would a red flag law have stopped him?

Triple his sentence if he crossed state lines.

Schumer should be arrested and tried for inciting murder and for insurrection; trying to effect the assassination of a Supreme Court Justice for the purpose of changing a court opinion.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

'Why would the would be assassin target justice Kavanaugh and not the writer of the leaked opinion, justice Alito?'

Because Schumer put a target on Kavanaugh's back. He would have gone after Gorsuch next.

Amadeus 48 म्हणाले...

Did they cover the part where the guy saw the cops and then changed his plan? I don't read WaPo on principle.

Leland म्हणाले...

This seems like an article meant to defuse the negative press of Nancy Pelosi holding "Insurrection Hearings" while refusing to pass a bill providing additional protection to Supreme Court Justices. "See, they have protection and it worked". Also, this article is somewhat at odds with initial reports that said federal authorities learned of the attack and foiled it. Well, they did learn of the attack, but it seems foiled by the would-be attacker.

As for whether it is "attempted murder", he seems to have confessed and "he crossed state lines with a gun!" I'm not sure what that would mean in a court.

Bruce Hayden म्हणाले...

Why Kavenaugh? I think maybe because he showed he was a squish when he sided with CJ Roberts as to not hearing the Texas direct appeal election case. That means that he can be intimidated. Also, doesn’t he live in MD, which is typically more Dem controlled than VA? And knowing his history, I suspect that Gorsuch likely has a gun in his house. He also sided with Thomas and Alito on taking the election case, so is likely less susceptible to intimidation. Barrett was probably out, because she is a woman, and maybe more importantly, the mother of a bunch of kids. That would be horrible optics - the murder of the only female Justice who has minor children at home, over abortion.

Narayanan म्हणाले...

are we sure this is not Trans-Felicia?

Michael K म्हणाले...

Blogger Howard said...

From my experience, crazy people don't know they are crazy. The problem is the system will not force a crazy person to get help until they have gone off the deep end and have caused harm to themselves and or others.


I agree and these are the people that respond to encouragement like Schumer delivered. We still don't know the correspondence between Durbin and Hodgekinson.

Narayanan म्हणाले...

Schumer should be arrested and tried for inciting murder and for insurrection; trying to effect the assassination of a Supreme Court Justice for the purpose of changing a court opinion.
===========
is that not job descriptin of USSenator?

Kevin म्हणाले...

I’m from California. I need psychiatric help.

Now do Pelosi.

Narayanan म्हणाले...

Did he take it on the plane?
=======
all is known but nothing will be revealed!

- if you put it in luggage/baggage ???

Transporting Firearms and Ammunition

You may transport unloaded firearms in a locked hard-sided container as checked baggage only. Declare the firearm and/or ammunition to the airline when checking your bag at the ticket counter. The container must completely secure the firearm from being accessed. Locked cases that can be easily opened are not permitted. Be aware that the container the firearm was in when purchased may not adequately secure the firearm when it is transported in checked baggage.

Yancey Ward म्हणाले...

I suspect the guy is just a minor nutjob and likely wouldn't have done anything even if the police were there guarding the house. However, it is also possible that he knew he had already been spotted and was being tracked by the time he got to Kavanaugh's street and knew there was no escape, so did the only thing he could that might minimize his legal jeopardy.

50/50 in my mind which scenario holds.

cassandra lite म्हणाले...

He traveled almost 3,000 miles, assembled everything needed for an assassination (the shoes are quite the touch), but it wasn't until he saw the marshals that he realized he needs psych help? Hmmm.

Joe Smith म्हणाले...

'If you go out with a gun and fully intend to kill a person and in the middle of your approach to that person, you decide not to do it, are you guilty of attempted murder?'

But walk through a door that police open for you, take a few selfies, and then go home, and you'll do hard time in a federal penitentiary.

Go figure...

Yancey Ward म्हणाले...

Now for the hypothetical- let's say some Trump supporter did the exact same thing at Stephen Breyer's house, come to Maryland to kill Breyer, change his mind and turn himself in. How do the media play that event? Does anyone really believe the NYTimes would bury it on page 20?

Narr म्हणाले...

Guy went from Hero to Zero among the Farwoke Leftoids, gayrontee.

Lurker21 म्हणाले...

Yes, there's less to this story than some people are making of it, but they are pushing back against the tendency to ignore "left-wing" violence and play up "right-wing" violence. The story of somebody getting that close to assassinating a judge would really be played up in the media if Ginsburg or Sotomayor or Kagan or Breyer had been the intended victim.

It's strange that someone concerned about loosening gun laws would buy weapons and consider murder as a way to achieve his goals.

Narr म्हणाले...

"Whatever they want me to do, I'll do."

That's our yoot, and an epitaph for a once-great country.

Rory म्हणाले...

"This is his get out of jail card."

As this stands, it's highly likely this is correct. The guy knows every part of the system is greased to spit him back out.

Narayanan म्हणाले...

when did The Pelican Brief become How To Manual?
who is the Julia Roberts/Denzel Washington in this Movie! based on REALLIFEEVENTS

Jersey Fled म्हणाले...

He came across the country to Kavanagh's house all decked out to kill him a Supreme Court justice.

He saw the police and attempted to flee.

Only Chesa Boudin wouldn't see a crime in there somewhere.

Kate म्हणाले...

@Howard: "From my experience, crazy people don't know they are crazy."

This is absolutely true for bipolar and schizophrenia. I wonder if this young man was only medically depressed. These people will seek help, but the disease is constantly whispering that it's all hopeless. I'm glad he won the battle for his sake, his family's, and for Kav's.

Christopher B म्हणाले...

Some DuckGoing around indicates that in some states simply possessing the burglary tools is a felony, and attempted burglary doesn't require much more than actions that indicate you intend to commit the crime, i.e. it's not necessary to actually have your hand on the lock or trying to jimmy the window.

It similarly appears that generally, all you need for attempted murder is to have formed the specific intent, and then committed an act in furtherance of the attempt. It doesn't appear that you can say "just joking!" at some point and get out of the charge.

gilbar म्हणाले...

I just came from the airport....
did he, or did he Not FLY from Cali? (WHY had he 'just came from the airport' ??)
Were the weapons waiting for him?
Did he check them in his luggage?
WHERE did Mister Psycho get all this money?

Readering म्हणाले...

Amazing the way Republicans are hyping this. Kavanaugh had protection, more than adequate to the job. Schumer speech incited this guy? Give me a break. Read the FBI affidavit. He was triggered by the Texas school shooting.

The Vault Dweller म्हणाले...

This is going to sound preachy because it is, but this young man does not need psychiatric help, he needs spiritual help. I suspect this young man is experiencing nihilism and is desperately searching for purpose. But unlike some of the other angry nihilists he isn't sociopathic so when actually confronted with the real possibility of murder he couldn't do it. Had he had the same sociopathic tendencies as the Uvalade shooter, or the Parkland shooter, or the Columbine shooters the news might have been more grim. The only mass murderer I can think of in recent history that I suspect truly had mental health problems was the man who tried to kill Rep. Gabby Giffords and successfully killed others in Arizona. When people talk about mental health in the wake of situations like this I worry they are ignoring a wider and deeper problem in our society.

Mark म्हणाले...

Eugene Volokh writes that Rosie’s abandonment of the attempt to kidnap/murder Kavanaugh was too little, too late.
https://reason.com/volokh/2022/06/08/the-abandonment-defense-to-criminal-attempt-and-the-person-who-was-planning-to-kill-justice-kavanaugh/

Volokh: "Traveling armed to the victim's house, with the intent to commit the crime, would surely qualify as a substantial step."

Except that he DID NOT TRAVEL TO Kavanaugh's house. He was still some distance away when he saw the agents outside. That's not substantial enough.

Jim at म्हणाले...

To this day, has any Democrat spoken out against this?

Any? Just one?

PB म्हणाले...

The blue pill he's been taking must have worn off and he didn't have more to redose himself. So he came to his senses.

Jim at म्हणाले...

That's right, Readering. It's not the fact that a leftist traveled across the country with the intent to assassinate a SCOTUS Justice. It's those damn Republicans pouncing again.

So, they caught this guy. What about the next one? The one after that? Or the one after that? Because as we learned during six months of non-stop rioting, there's no shortage of violent assholes on your side of the aisle.

That's who Schumer was talking to.

So when - not if, when - one of your thugs actually succeeds in murdering a Republican politician or Justice, the blood will be on your hands.

Be prepared to own it and what comes afterwards.

rcocean म्हणाले...

Yancy - exactly. We already know how the MSM Would play it. Shoot 6 Republican Congressmen and be a liberal Democrat and its down the rabbit hole.

Blame it on the DC Republicans. They never complain or beef about ANY media double standard. They either try to butter up the media, or hide somewhere and hope they aren't noticed. Ever hear Mittens or Miss Lindsey attack the Media? Once in a blue moon. If that.

Rusty म्हणाले...

Howard said...
"From my experience, crazy people don't know they are crazy. " So the medications have helped , eh?

Readering said...
"Amazing the way Republicans are hyping this. Kavanaugh had protection, more than adequate to the job."
OK. What's your full name and address?

Darkisland म्हणाले...

He could not have been planning actual murder. He didn't have an AR-15.

Everybody knows that you can't kill someone with a handgun.

As for method and means, I am convinced the Fbi was involved directly or indirectly. They've done too many similar things in the past 100 years to give the m benefit of the doubt. See the Whitmer case for one recent example.

Set up a poor schlub and send him in for the kill and at the very last instant have him killed by a hero cop before he actually kills anyone.

Rosche being alive may be problematic come January.

John LGKTQ Henry

Darkisland म्हणाले...

He could not have been planning actual murder. He didn't have an AR-15.

Everybody knows that you can't kill someone with a handgun.

As for method and means, I am convinced the Fbi was involved directly or indirectly. They've done too many similar things in the past 100 years to give the m benefit of the doubt. See the Whitmer case for one recent example.

Set up a poor schlub and send him in for the kill and at the very last instant have him killed by a hero cop before he actually kills anyone.

Rosche being alive may be problematic come January.

John LGKTQ Henry

Michael K म्हणाले...


Blogger Readering said...

Amazing the way Republicans are hyping this. Kavanaugh had protection, more than adequate to the job. Schumer speech incited this guy? Give me a break. Read the FBI affidavit. He was triggered by the Texas school shooting.


So, Kavanaugh committed the Uvalde school shooting ? You're trying too hard.

Readering म्हणाले...

Read the FBI affidavit. Admittedly that involves trying.