David DePape’s state trial on charges in the 2022 attack on Paul Pelosi is underway after DePape was sentenced in his federal trial for the hammer assault.
Opening statements are set to begin in the case on Wednesday for the break-in and attack at the Pelosis’ San Francisco residence. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was not home at the time.
DePape, 44, was charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, residential burglary, elder abuse, false imprisonment and threatening the life or serious bodily harm to a public official. He pleaded not guilty.
If convicted, he faces 13 years to life in prison, according to the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office.
The state trial comes following his sentencing in the federal case, where he was convicted of seeking to hold former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi hostage and attacking her husband with a hammer.
In this screen grab from police body cam footage released by the San Francisco Police Department, Paul Pelosi, the husband of Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi, is shown with his assailant, David DePape, at the Pelosi home, in San Francisco, Oct 28, 2022.
San Francisco Police Dept
A judge sentenced DePape to 30 years in federal prison on May 17. However, the sentencing was reopened after prosecutors noted that the defendant was never formally given the opportunity to address the court during his sentencing. He was again sentenced to 30 years in prison during a hearing on Tuesday, during which he apologized for the attack.
“I’m sorry for what I did,” he said, according to San Francisco ABC station KGO. “Especially what I did to Paul Pelosi. I should have just left the house when I realized Nancy Pelosi wasn’t home.”
DePape’s attorneys filed a brief notice of appeal following his initial sentencing in the federal case.
A jury found him guilty in November 2023 of attempted kidnapping of a federal officer or employee and assault of an immediate family member of a federal official.
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DePape admitted during the federal trial that he was looking for Nancy Pelosi to question her about Russian influence on the 2016 election and planned to hold her hostage, but only Paul Pelosi was home when he broke in on Oct. 28, 2022.
Paul Pelosi said on the stand during the federal trial that DePape repeatedly asked him, “Where is Nancy?”
DePape hit Paul Pelosi, then 82 years old, with a hammer, causing major injuries, including a skull fracture, though told the court he was “never my target.”
David DePape in Berkeley, Calif., Dec. 13, 2013.
Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
“I’m sorry that he got hurt,” DePape said during the federal trial. “I reacted because my plan was basically ruined.”
The incident was captured on police body camera video by officers who responded to the scene.
Paul Pelosi was hospitalized for six days and underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands.
The highly anticipated state trial against David DePape, the attacker of Paul Pelosi, is set to commence with opening statements this week. DePape, a known criminal with a history of violence, was arrested last year for assaulting Pelosi, the son of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in a shocking and brazen attack.
The incident occurred outside a popular restaurant in downtown San Francisco, where Pelosi was dining with friends. DePape approached Pelosi and began hurling insults at him before physically assaulting him, leaving Pelosi with serious injuries. The attack was captured on surveillance cameras and quickly went viral, sparking outrage and calls for justice.
DePape was arrested shortly after the incident and has been held in custody ever since. He has been charged with assault and battery, as well as other related offenses. The trial is expected to be a high-profile case, drawing national attention due to the involvement of the Pelosi family and the violent nature of the attack.
During the trial, prosecutors will present evidence linking DePape to the assault, including witness testimony, surveillance footage, and forensic evidence. They will argue that DePape’s actions were premeditated and deliberate, and that he should be held accountable for his violent behavior.
DePape’s defense team is expected to argue that he was acting in self-defense or under duress at the time of the attack. They may also try to discredit the prosecution’s evidence and witnesses in an attempt to create reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors.
The trial is expected to last several weeks, with both sides presenting their cases and calling witnesses to testify. The outcome of the trial will ultimately be decided by a jury of DePape’s peers, who will weigh the evidence presented and determine his guilt or innocence.
As the trial gets underway, all eyes will be on the courtroom as the legal drama unfolds. The case has already generated significant public interest and debate, with many people eager to see justice served for Paul Pelosi and his family. Stay tuned for updates as the trial progresses and the truth behind the attack is revealed.
