Alito: Leaked draft abortion opinion pinned conservative justices as 'targets for assassination'

Associate Justice Samuel Alito said the unprecedented leak of the Supreme Court's draft opinion overturning Roe v. Wade earlier this year made the right-leaning justices on the nation's highest court "targets for assassination."

"The leak also made those of us who were thought to be in the majority and (in) support of overruling Roe and Casey targets for assassination because it gave people a rational reason to think they could prevent that from happening by killing one of us," he said in remarks Tuesday at the Heritage Foundation.

Alito referenced a man who made threats against Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh and was arrested outside his house in June after the draft opinion leaked. Nicholas John Roske was charged with attempted murder and pleaded not guilty.

In May, Politico published a draft Supreme Court opinion suggesting the court would overturn its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that established a constitutional right to abortion. One month later, a majority of the court handed down a decision that was substantially similar to the leaked draft.

More: Get political news, fast and to the point, delivered to your inbox.

Alito said Tuesday the leak "changed the atmosphere" at the court for the remainder of the last term.

"It was a grave betrayal of trust by somebody," he said.

He added the justices and those who work in the court are hoping things will return to normal "to the greatest degree possible" in the new term.

►More: Kagan warns the Supreme Court must 'act like a court' to keep Americans' faith

►More: Chief Justice Roberts defends Supreme Court's legitimacy post-Roe

►More: Justice Alito dismisses criticism from global leaders of Supreme Court decision overturning Roe

►'Not surprised': Justice Alito defends controversial speech as he marks 15 years on Supreme Court

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alito: Leaked draft opinion made justices 'targets for assassination'