Minnesota Man Charged Again After Printing Manifesto on Killing Judges
Sept. 9 (Reuters) – A Minnesota man with a history of threatening the judiciary is once again facing federal charges after allegedly distributing a 236-page manifesto titled “How to Kill a Federal Judge.”
Robert Phillip Ivers, 72, was arrested last week and charged in Minnesota federal court with threatening to assault and murder a U.S. judge. Ivers had previously served an 18-month prison sentence for a similar crime in 2019 involving U.S. District Judge Wilhelmina Wright.
The latest incident began when staff at the Wayzata Library in Minnesota spotted Ivers printing copies of his self-authored manuscript. The document reportedly featured a picture of a gun and was described in a flyer as a “guide” for extremists on how to “hunt, stalk, and kill” judges, their families, politicians, and others.
After handing the flyer to library staff, Ivers left the location, prompting them to notify authorities. The flyer also claimed Ivers had been “falsely indicted by a deceived U.S. grand jury” and warned that “judges are going to die,” according to charging documents.
Investigators later learned that staff at a Minnetonka church had also reported Ivers to law enforcement on August 28 for disturbing behavior and alarming comments about attending future events involving children and lawmakers.
Police arrested Ivers on September 3. During transport, he claimed to be experiencing a heart attack and was briefly hospitalized before being released. A search of his vehicle turned up:
20 spiral-bound copies of the manifesto
A copy of the Anarchist Cookbook
Fireworks
A foam box containing a toy replica firearm
CO2 cartridges and pellets
A photograph of the former Pope with crosshairs on his head
Lists of federal judges, including those mentioned in the manifesto
Authorities noted that the new threats specifically targeted the judge who presided over Ivers’ earlier trial — U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt — and referenced Judge Wilhelmina Wright, whom he was convicted of threatening in the 2019 case.
When questioned by investigators, Ivers reportedly shouted that his book “was supposed to” scare people.
The case comes amid heightened concern over escalating threats to members of the federal judiciary. The U.S. Marshals Service has reported over 500 threats against federal judges so far in the 2025 fiscal year.
Ivers remains in custody and is awaiting a detention hearing scheduled for Friday.
