MINNEAPOLIS, MN – A 72-year-old Minnesota man with a prior conviction for threatening a judge has been indicted again, this time on charges of threatening to murder a federal judge, a Supreme Court Justice, and a defense attorney, prosecutors announced.
Robert Phillip Ivers was arrested after authorities said he printed and distributed copies of a 236-page manifesto titled “How to Kill a Federal Judge” at a public library in Wayzata. The indictment charges him with three counts: threatening to assault and murder a federal judge, threatening a Supreme Court Justice, and interstate transmission of threats.
According to the complaint, library staff alerted police after Ivers showed them pages of the manifesto, which contained violent threats and disturbing imagery. He also handed out flyers promoting the document, warning that “judges are going to die.”
Police later searched Ivers’s vehicle and recovered multiple printed copies of the manifesto, flyers, lists of judges, a photo of the former Pope with crosshairs drawn over it, a replica firearm with CO₂ cartridges, fireworks, and other materials.
Investigators say Ivers admitted to showing the manifesto to library staff and told officers his intent was to instill fear. He previously served time for threatening to kill a Minnesota federal judge in 2019.
Ivers made his first court appearance Tuesday and remains in custody pending a detention hearing. If convicted, he faces significant prison time.
The case is being investigated by the FBI, the Wayzata Police Department, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melinda A. Williams is prosecuting.
Key Points
- Robert Phillip Ivers, 72, indicted for threats against a federal judge, Supreme Court Justice, and attorney.
- Arrested after distributing a violent manifesto at a Minnesota library.
- Previously convicted in 2019 for threatening to kill a federal judge.
Federal prosecutors say the indictment sends a clear message that threats against the judiciary will be met with swift action.