David DePape, the man convicted of brutally attacking Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, in their San Francisco home, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by a federal judge. The sentencing, announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California on Friday, comes after a jury found DePape guilty of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official in November 2022.
U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, who presided over the case, imposed a sentence close to the 25-year punishment recommended by the U.S. Probation Office, while government prosecutors had sought the maximum term of 40 years. In her statement, Judge Corley emphasized the need to ensure that the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense, stating, "He broke into the home of an official and violently attacked the public official's spouse. That act is unprecedented."
During the trial, DePape testified in his own defense, admitting to breaking into the Pelosi residence with plans to use Nancy and Paul Pelosi in a plot to lure Bay Area scholar and University of Michigan professor Gayle Rubin. He referred to multiple right-wing conspiracy theories and revealed that he spent six hours a day consuming political commentary on YouTube in the lead-up to the attack.
BREAKING REPORT: Paul Pelosi hammer attacker sentenced to 30 years..
A Canadian man who invaded the residence of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and assaulted her husband with a hammer has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
David DePape, 44, a former nudist, received the… pic.twitter.com/8d2rux4NbR — Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) May 17, 2024
The assault, which took place on October 28, 2022, left Paul Pelosi with a fractured skull and injuries to his hand and arm. In his testimony, Pelosi recounted the harrowing experience of waking up to find DePape in his home, armed with a hammer. Despite managing to call 911 while DePape was distracted, Pelosi was violently struck in the head following a struggle with the intruder.
Police body-camera footage showed both DePape and Pelosi with their hands on the suspect's hammer when officers arrived at the scene. Despite orders to drop the weapon, DePape pulled it away from Pelosi and attacked him before being tackled and arrested by the responding officers.
The Pelosi family released a statement on Friday, expressing their pride in Paul Pelosi's courage and gratitude for the support they have received since the attack. "The Pelosi family couldn't be prouder of their Pop and his tremendous courage in saving his own life on the night of the attack and in testifying in this case," the statement read. "Speaker Pelosi and her family are immensely grateful to all who have sent love and prayers over the last eighteen months, as Mr. Pelosi continues his recovery."
U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California, Ismail J. Ramsey, emphasized that the sentencing reflects DePape's lack of remorse and contrition for the violent assault. "The court's sentence will ensure that DePape will not be able to use violence to pollute the political process," Ramsey stated outside the San Francisco courthouse. "Robust, passionate, political debate is appropriate and often necessary in our democracy, but today's sentence is a stern reminder that political discourse must never transform into violence."
In addition to the federal charges, DePape faces state charges that include attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary, false imprisonment, and threatening the life of or serious bodily harm to a public official. Jury selection for the state case, being pressed by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, is set to begin on Wednesday.
