A man named Robert Phillip Ivers has been charged with threatening to assault and murder a federal judge. According to an FBI affidavit, Ivers wrote a 236-page manifesto that was titled “How to Kill a Federal Judge.”
Ivers, a 72-year-old man, was previously convicted of threatening to kill a federal judge in 2019. He is currently being held in the Hennepin County Jail.
According to an FBI affidavit, Ivers was at the Wayzata Library on Sept. 2 making copies of his manifesto when he asked library staff for assistance. Ivers reportedly told one librarian about his manifesto, and the librarian recalled seeing a page in the manifesto about killing children. Before leaving the scene, Ivers allegedly handed a three-page document to staff.
Library staff called law enforcement the next day and reported the incident. The three-page document was described by authorities as “an apparent advertisement or flyer” for the 72-year-old’s manifesto. Images of that document were included in the FBI affidavit.
“In this five star blood soaked killing guide Mr. Ivers exacts a violent revenge,” says the document. “He instructs and then encourages on how to kill using his true life masterpiece How to Kill a Federal Judge.”
In an apparent reference to his prior conviction, the document claims Ivers was “convicted in a federal criminal court without one shred of evidence to support their conviction.”
The document says Ivers will publish his manifesto if his conviction is not overturned and notes that the manifesto “is designed to teach extremists on how to plan, train, hunt, stalk, and kill anyone including judges, their family members, politicians and more!”
Ivers was arrested by law enforcement on Sept. 3 and later released. A search warrant was obtained for the 72-year-old’s vehicle the next day. Wayzata police reportedly found 20 printed copies of “How to Kill a Federal Judge,” lists of judges, and advertisements for the manifesto. The judge who presided over Ivers’ prior trial was allegedly on one of the lists.
Police arrested Ivers again on Sept. 5 and interviewed him. According to the FBI affidavit, Ivers shouted during the interview, used profane language, and answered a question about his manifesto scaring people by saying “It was supposed to!”
The 236-page manifesto and its drawings
The FBI affidavit that described Ivers’ conduct included pages from the manifesto allegedly written by Ivers. The pages contain graphic and disturbing words, images, and drawings. Several pages depict ghastly, demonic-looking figures that appear to be hand-drawn.
“You fuck with me! I fuck with you!” says one of the pages. “There will be no mercy! Kids, family members, friends, everyone will die!!!”
“When Mr. Ivers publishes this book the demons of the earth are going to go on a killing spree,” reads an inscription beside a demonic drawing.
One page is signed by “Bob Ivers” and includes a message which says “From this day on, every fucking judge in America and the world too will have a target on their backs and this includes their family members as fair game also.”
According to the FBI affidavit, Ivers appears to have added to the manifesto over time with pages containing handwritten dates which range from 2019 to 2024. The book’s cover page allegedly includes the title, “How to Kill a Federal Judge by Robert Ivers,” accompanied by an image of a man pointing a rifle.
Ivers reportedly focused on “the perceived wrongs done to him by the judicial system,” and “quoted Timothy McVeigh and venerated the Manson family.”
In the disturbing document, Ivers allegedly fixated on two judges; accusing one of framing him and another of being “corrupt.” The manifesto reportedly contains several threats Ivers made against a judge who was identified by authorities as “Judge A.”
Ivers is scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court this afternoon. According to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minnesota, prosecutors will request that the 72-year-old be detained while his case is pending.
“Ivers’s threats are bone chilling,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson. “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.”
Luke Sprinkel
Luke Sprinkel previously worked as a Legislative Assistant at the Minnesota House of Representatives. He grew up as a Missionary Kid (MK) living in England, Thailand, Tanzania, and the Middle East. Luke graduated from Regent University in 2018.
