A 72-year-old man from Minneapolis, identified as Robert Ivers, has been indicted for threatening to murder a federal judge, a Supreme Court justice, and a defense attorney, according to a recent announcement from the Department of Justice.
Ivers was apprehended last week in response to concerns raised by the public regarding his behavior at a local church and library. The apprehension occurred following his distribution of copies of a disturbing document, titled ‘How to Kill a Federal Judge.’
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Library staff received a copy of the manifesto, which included discussions of killing children and a depiction of a firearm. The Department of Justice has confirmed that Ivers distributed a three-page ‘flyer’ advertising the manifesto before departing the library. The flyer boldly claimed that the manifesto was a guide for extremists to plan and execute assassinations of judges, their families, politicians, and more.
Handwritten threats to murder judges, their children, and pets were also found within the manifesto. Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson has emphasized the severity of these threats, stating, “Murder threats against a federal judge, a Supreme Court Justice, and a defense attorney are not just words on a page. They are direct attacks on the rule of law.”
This raises important questions about the security of our public officials and the measures needed to ensure their safety. As Thompson affirms, “We will not allow violent rhetoric to become routine. When someone threatens our judges, we will answer with swift federal prosecution.”