WAYZATA, MN - They say with age comes maturity, but that does not appear to be the case where a 72-year-old Minnesota man is concerned. Law & Crime reports that Robert Phillip Ivers wrote a manifesto called “How to Kill a Federal Judge,” and even took to showing his handiwork to staff at a local library where he was making copies of his screed.
Ivers was arrested last week and charged with threatening to assault and murder a federal judge, law enforcement authorities announced.
“At a time when Minnesota is reeling from acts of violence, the last thing we need is someone spreading fear into our churches, libraries, and courts,” acting United States Attorney Joseph H. Thompson said in a news release following Ivers’ arrest. He continued, “Ivers’s threats are bone-chilling. After the past few months, we are not taking chances. When someone threatens our community, we believe them, and we will act swiftly to protect Minnesotans.”
Ivers’ arrest comes only months after Minnesota state representative Melissa Hortman was gunned down in a shooting in her home in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota. Her husband Mark was also killed in the attack, carried out by Vance Luther Boelter, a Justice Department press release said. Another lawmaker, state senator John Hoffman, and his wife, Yvette, were also shot; however, they survived their wounds.
The latest threat isn’t Ivers’ first go-around. In 2019, he was convicted of threatening to kill a federal judge and received 18 months in federal prison.
The criminal complaint alleges that on Sept. 3, authorities responded to the Wayzata Library for the report of a man identified as Ivers printing copies of a 236-page manifesto. Investigators said Ivers showed the manifesto to the library staff, including a page that talked about “killing children” and had a picture of a gun on it. He also handed staff a “flyer” advertising the manifesto before he left the library.
The purpose of the manifesto, prosecutors said, “is designed to teach extremists how to plan, train, hunt, stalk, and kill anyone, including judges, their family members, politicians, and more!”
“The harsh reality is that judges are going to die,” the manifesto said.
Authorities picked Ivers up later that night and took him into custody. During a search of his vehicles, the following items were recovered by authorities:
(1) a photo of the former Pope with crosshairs centered on his head; (2) twenty copies of a spiral bound printed book titled, “How to Kill a Federal Judge” by Robert Ivers; (3) multiple copies of flyers advertising the contents of the book; (4) lists of federal judges; (5) a copy of The Anarchist Cookbook; (6) a white foam box containing a toy replica firearm, a box of Co2 cartridges, and a container of pellets; and (7) a box of fireworks.
The Anarchist Cookbook was written during the so-called “counterculture era” to protest against the United States' involvement in Vietnam and is typically embraced by leftist radicals, much as Rules for Radicals is.
Prosecutors said the manifesto outlined so-called “wrongs” done to Ivers by the judicial system.
“He discussed these wrongs and his anticipated revenge at length,” the release says. “The manifesto contains various types of writings and many disturbing sketches, apparently drawn by Ivers. The manifesto also contains handwritten threats to kill, including threats to kill judges, as well as their children and pets.”
Ivers was clear that his intent in writing the rambling manifesto “was to instill fear.”
“If this book doesn’t instill fear in you, then your [sic] already dead,” he wrote.
The release said that Ivers named many judges within the document; however, he was “fixated” on the judge who presided over his previous federal trial and the judge he had previously been convicted of threatening to kill.
“Threats of violence directed at federal judges not only undermine the integrity of our legal system but also pose a grave risk to the principles of justice and democracy,” Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of the FBI’s Minneapolis office said. “The FBI and our law enforcement partners consider all threats of violence against judges, or any public servants, with grave seriousness. These actions will not be tolerated. As this chilling case confirms, we are fully committed to protecting judges who devote themselves to our communities and legal system.”
Ivers appeared in court last Tuesday and has been held in detention pending a bond hearing sometime next week.
Comments