A man convicted in a state court Friday of the violent attack on Nancy Pelosi’s husband, the former House Speaker, D-Calif.
David DePape has been found guilty of kidnapping and false imprisonment as well as threatening an official in public office, and burglary, for the attack that took place on Paul Pelosi at his San Francisco residence in 2022. The verdict was reached after the jury started deliberations Tuesday.
In a statement, a Pelosi spokeswoman said that “Speaker Pelosi’s family remains in awe of Pop’s courage. It shone again in the courtroom in this case just as it had when he saved himself on the night of the attack.” “Mr. Pelosi’s courage and determination have been evident every day during his recovery for nearly 20 months.
The spokesperson said that “Speaker Pelosi, her family, and staff will not make any further substantive comments until the sentencing process is completed.”
DePape was previously cleared of charges, including attempted killing, elder abuse, and assault with a fatal weapon, by a San Francisco Superior Court Judge. Charges were dropped due to fears of double jeopardy after his conviction in federal court for the same assault.
DePape, who was sentenced to prison for 30 years by the federal court of May this year, had been convicted in May in federal court of assault.
The attack took place just days before the midterm elections of 2022 and was recorded on police bodycams. DePape broke in to the Pelosi house at the dawn of October 28, 2022 and shouted “Where is Nancy?” She was in Washington, D.C., when she broke into the Pelosi home.
He used a hammer to attack Paul Pelosi. The hammer caused two head injuries, including a fractured skull that will last the rest of Pelosi’s life. He also suffered injuries to his right hand and arm.
DePape’s lawyer told jurors in his federal trial that his client isolated himself and became more immersed in conspiracy theories during the months preceding the attack. DePape’s attorney said that DePape did not intend to kill Paul Pelosi, but that he had “acted irrationally as part of a misguided plot.”
DePape claimed that he would hold Nancy Pelosi hostage, question her, and “break” her kneecaps if she refused to admit the lies she allegedly told about “Russiagate,” the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 campaign.
DePape stated that he felt “horribly” for hurting Pelosi and that he “should have gone home as soon as I realized Nancy Pelosi was not there.”
