Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has made headlines for decades for how she rules the roost from on high in politics. Last year she faced a rash of headlines after who husband was attacked in their home and the alleged attacker was caught on site.
After a year of investigations, wild news stories, and a recent criminal trial, the attacker named in the case has learned his fate. The now convicted assailant’s arguments about conspiracy theories and exposing the wrongdoing by the “ruling class” didn’t sway the jury in this case.
Paul Pelosi, the former speaker’s husband, was attacked with a hammer one fateful night in October 2022 and now the assailant faces a lifetime behind bars. A federal jury in San Francisco found David DePape guilty on one count of assault on the immediate family member of a federal official and attempted kidnapping of a federal official.
DePape faces up to 50 years in prison following his conviction during the four-day trial. Sentencing is set for a later date. The case was highly publicized because of the victim’s family connection to the former speaker.
During the trial, prosecutors presented DePape as someone who broke into the Pelosi’s San Francisco home. Authorities said DePape wanted “to hold her hostage” and had a “violent plan to kidnap Nancy Pelosi.” Paul Pelosi, now 83, was home at the time of the break-in and called police. When officers arrived, bottom camera footage showed DePape assaulting Paul Pelosi with a hammer. Police intervened and arrested DePape.
Paul Pelosi suffered a fractured skull among other injuries and spent time in the hospital. At the trial he stated, “I’ve made the best effort I possibly can to not relive this.”
DePape’s defense attorneys tried to argue against their client’s intent during the attack, which they did not dispute. Their claims that DePape was trying to “root out” corruption didn’t convince the jury.
Prosecutors focused on how they believe DePape “targeted” Pelosi for her political position and attacked her husband out of “retaliation” when she was not at home. The jury’s verdict was unanimous in the case.
DePape sill faces charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary, and threats to a public official and their family. He has pleaded not guilty, and trial is expected later this month.
If a homeless person swings a hammer and cracks the skull of a tourist in San Francisco they’ll likely just be booked into jail and given a rice treat before being let back onto the streets. But DePape allegedly targeted the spouse of a rich and powerful politician who has held sway over lawmakers for years. His fate is soon to be sealed behind bars.
Key Takeaways:
- Paul Pelosi attacker faces a stiff sentence after conviction in federal court.
- Prosecutors say the accused “targeted” the former speaker of the house.
- State charges could add more time in prison for the 2022 hammer attack.
Source: The Daily Wire
