Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh’s would-be assassin was sentenced Friday to eight years in prison, delivering a sentence in a shocking case of political violence that became ensnared with gender identity politics.

Attorney General Pam Bondi quickly announced an appeal of the sentencing, calling it “woefully insufficient.”

The defendant, at the time Nicholas Roske but now going by Sophie Roske, pleaded guilty to making an attempt on Justice Kavanaugh’s life. Angered by a leaked draft opinion showing the court poised to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision allowing abortion nationwide, Roske showed up at the justice’s Maryland home with tools to break in and weapons to kill him.

When Roske saw a security presence, the plan fell apart and Roske called authorities to confess.

Roske had asked Judge Deborah Boardman to deliver an eight-year sentence. Federal prosecutors asked for 30 years in prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

Judge Boardman, a Biden appointee, sided with Roske for the most part with the 97-month term in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.

The judge said Roske showed remorse.

Roske, in a letter to the judge last month ahead of the sentencing, said the attack was not “representative of who I am” and said when the reality of the situation hit him outside Justice Kavanaugh’s home that morning, the plan fell apart.

“I am very glad I did not continue,” Roske said in the letter, which came about a week after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. “I am also sorry for contributing to a trend of political violence in American politics.

“All I want is to go home to my friends and family and see what good I can do out in the world. Please, for their sake as much as mine, give me the chance to be the best version of myself,” Roske wrote.

Roske blamed a troubled and at times suicidal mind, struggling with identity and how it clashed with a “conservative Christian” upbringing. Therapy and medication helped, but then the coronavirus pandemic hit and Roske balked at virtual therapy.

Federal prosecutors had said Roske was prepared to carry out the attack but balked at the last minute after seeing U.S. marshals guarding the justice’s home.

“The defendant’s actions and intent — which were determined, focused and undeterred for months — were extremely dangerous to the lives of multiple sitting judges, their family members and the constitutional judicial order,” the Justice Department lawyers argued in a sentencing memo.

Judge Boardman doubted the attack came that close to success, pointing to Roske’s call to confess. The judge said that suggested Roske wasn’t the danger the prosecutors suggested.

And the judge suggested Roske, as a transgender inmate, could face a tougher-than-usual time in prison.

Ms. Bondi said the judge got this one wrong.

“The attempted assassination of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was a disgusting attack against our entire judicial system by a profoundly disturbed individual,” she said. “The Department of Justice will be appealing the woefully insufficient sentence imposed by the district court, which does not reflect the horrific facts of this case.”

Court records revealed that Roske’s interest in an assassination was brewing early in 2022. His plans to target the Supreme Court crystallized after the May leak of a draft opinion in the Dobbs case, which would eventually overturn Roe v. Wade.

Roske researched several justices but focused on Justice Kavanaugh, a Trump pick to the high court.

Roske’s internet activities displayed a grotesque level of preparation for the assassination, including Google searches for “how far into the neck is the trachea,” “how much force do you need to stab someone’s neck,” “does twisting or dragging a knife cause more damage” and “neck injury with highest mortality rate.”

And on Discord, Roske wrote: “what do you think would happen” if Justice Kavanaugh died, and responded to another response by saying “he would be replaced by an [expletive] Biden picks though, so probably someone who wouldn’t repeal roe or gay marriage.”

• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.