Man who broke into ex-Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s house and bludgeoned her husband with a hammer to be sentenced

The person convicted of trying to kidnap then-Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer is about to be sentenced in federal courtroom Friday.

Jurors discovered David DePape, 44, responsible in November of tried kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the speedy member of the family of a federal official.

Prosecutors have requested Decide Jacqueline Scott Corley for a 40-year jail time period.

DePape admitted throughout trial testimony that he broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco house Oct. 28, 2022, intending to carry the speaker hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him.

He additionally acknowledged bludgeoning Paul Pelosi with a hammer after police confirmed up, saying his plan to finish what he seen as authorities corruption was unraveling.

The assault on Paul Pelosi, who was 82 on the time, was captured on police physique digital camera video simply days earlier than the midterm elections and despatched shockwaves by means of the political world.

Protection attorneys argued DePape was motivated by his political views, not as a result of he wished to intrude with the speaker’s official duties as a member of Congress, making the fees towards him invalid.

Certainly one of his attorneys, Angela Chuang, mentioned throughout closing arguments that DePape was caught up in conspiracy theories.

At trial, DePape, a Canadian who moved to the US greater than 20 years in the past, testified he believed information retailers repeatedly lied about former President Donald Trump.

In rants posted on a weblog and on-line discussion board that have been taken down after his arrest, DePape echoed the baseless, right-wing conspiracy idea QAnon, which claims {that a} cabal of devil-worshipping pedophiles runs the US authorities.

DePape additionally instructed jurors he had deliberate to put on an inflatable unicorn costume and report his interrogation of the Democratic speaker, who was not on the house on the time of the assault, to add it on-line.

Prosecutors mentioned he had rope and zip ties with him, and detectives discovered physique cameras, a pc and a pill.

Paul Pelosi additionally testified on the trial, recalling how he was woke up by a big man bursting into the bed room and asking, “The place’s Nancy?” He mentioned when he responded that his spouse was in Washington, DePape mentioned he would tie him up whereas they waited for her.

“It was an incredible sense of shock to acknowledge that someone had damaged into the home, and taking a look at him and looking out on the hammer and the ties, I acknowledged that I used to be in severe hazard, so I attempted to remain as calm as doable,” Pelosi instructed jurors.

Pelosi suffered two head wounds within the assault, together with a cranium fracture that was mended with plates and screws that he can have for the remainder of his life. His proper arm and hand additionally have been injured.

DePape can be charged in state courtroom with assault with a lethal weapon, elder abuse, residential housebreaking and different felonies. Jury choice in that trial is predicted to start out Might 22.