Robert Ivers, 72, Arrested for Spreading Fear in Churches and Libraries with ‘How to Kill a Federal Judge’ Manifesto
Robert Phillip Ivers, a 72-year-old man from Minnesota, has been charged by a federal complaint for threatening to assault and murder a federal judge. This isn’t Ivers’s first offense; he has a prior federal conviction for threatening to kill another federal judge.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson, Ivers’s threats are “bone chilling.”
The charges come after Ivers was arrested for exhibiting concerning behavior at both a library and a church. “The last thing we need is someone spreading fear into our churches, libraries, and courts,” Thompson stated, emphasizing that authorities are not taking any chances. “When someone threatens our community, we believe them, and we will act swiftly to protect Minnesotans.”
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The Incident and Investigation
The investigation began on September 3, 2025, when law enforcement was called to the Wayzata Library. Library staff reported that Ivers was printing a 236-page manifesto titled, “How to Kill a Federal Judge,” and showing it to them. The manifesto, which he advertised with a three-page flyer, detailed how to “plan, train, hunt, stalk and kill anyone including judges, their family members, politicians and more!” It also featured disturbing sketches and threats to kill judges, their children, and pets. When asked if he intended for the book to scare people, Ivers reportedly shouted, “It was supposed to!”
Investigators also learned of a separate incident on August 28, 2025, where Ivers exhibited concerning behavior at an Episcopal church in Minnetonka. Church staff grew suspicious after he announced plans to attend multiple upcoming events, including a family picnic and a blessing of children. After searching for him online and discovering his history of threats and racist commentary, they contacted law enforcement.
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Evidence and Past Convictions
Following his arrest on September 3, police searched Ivers’s vehicle. They found multiple copies of his book and its advertising flyers, lists of federal judges, a copy of the Anarchist Cookbook, a toy replica firearm, and a photo of the former Pope with crosshairs on his head. Ivers was released from the hospital after claiming a heart attack during transport but was re-arrested on September 5.
Ivers’s manifesto explicitly named Federal Judge A, who presided over his previous federal trial, and Federal Judge B, whom he was convicted of threatening in 2019. In the manifesto, Ivers threatened to kill Federal Judge A.
FBI Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. highlighted the seriousness of the case, stating, “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.” He affirmed that the FBI and its partners are “fully committed to protecting judges who devote themselves to our communities and legal system.”
The investigation was a collaborative effort by the FBI, Wayzata Police Department, and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service.
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