A California jury has found David DePape guilty on all charges related to the violent hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This state trial conviction comes on the heels of DePape's federal conviction for the same 2022 assault, ensuring he faces significant consequences for his actions.
The jury, after deliberating for just over two days, reached a verdict on Friday afternoon. DePape, 44, was charged with multiple felonies, including false imprisonment of an elder by violence or menace, residential burglary, threatening a family member of a public official, dissuading a witness by force or threat, and aggravated kidnapping. The latter charge carries a life sentence without the possibility of parole. Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins expressed her satisfaction with the verdict, stating, "The conviction ensures that DePape will face consequences for his heinous crimes against the Pelosi family and our democracy. I hope this verdict brings a measure of closure to the family as they continue to heal from this tragic ordeal."
The assault occurred in the early hours of October 28, 2022, when DePape broke into the Pelosis' San Francisco home, armed with a hammer and zip ties. Paul Pelosi testified that he was woken by DePape, who asked, "Are you Paul Pelosi?" and then held him hostage, threatening him and his wife. Despite Paul Pelosi's attempts to call for help, DePape attacked him, resulting in severe injuries, including a skull fracture. Pelosi was hospitalized for six days following the attack and underwent surgery to repair his injuries.
DePape did not testify during the three-week state trial and had pleaded not guilty to the charges. His public defender, Adam Lipson, argued there was insufficient evidence for some of the charges, particularly the aggravated kidnapping charge. Lipson suggested that the prosecution's approach was overly harsh, stating, "I don't believe that this was a kidnapping for ransom. It's really unfortunate that he was charged this way."
However, Assistant District Attorney Phoebe Maffei argued that the facts of the case were clear and terrifying. "David DePape broke into the home of an 82-year-old man while he slept, entered his bedroom, held him hostage with a hammer, threatened him, threatened his wife, and attempted to kill him," Maffei told the jury.
The state trial followed DePape's federal sentencing in May, where he was convicted of seeking to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and assaulting her husband. Initially sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, the sentencing was reopened to allow DePape to address the court, during which he apologized for his actions.
DePape's defense team filed a notice of appeal following his federal sentencing, and it remains to be seen how this will impact his state trial verdict. DePape admitted during his 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. He stated that Paul Pelosi was never his target and expressed regret that Paul was hurt during the incident.
