David DePape sentenced to 30 years for attacking Paul Pelosi

David DePape has been sentenced to 30 years in prison by a federal judge. This comes after he was found guilty of the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, in October 2022.

DePape received a 30-year sentence for assault and a 20-year sentence for attempted kidnapping. These sentences will be served concurrently.

Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley, who oversaw DePape's trial in the Northern District of California, emphasized the need for a sentence that reflects the gravity of the offense. She stated that breaking into the home of an official and violently attacking the official's spouse was an unprecedented act.

In November, DePape was found guilty by a jury in a San Francisco federal court. The charges included assault on a family member of a federal official and attempted kidnapping of a federal official, as reported by CNN.

DePape's attorneys admitted that he did attack 83-year-old Paul Pelosi at the time. However, they argued that his reasons for the assault did not align with the charges brought against him.

During his testimony, DePape opened up about his reasons for the attack, getting emotional as he talked about the conspiracy theories he believed in.

He remembered that he was specifically searching for Nancy Pelosi and was taken aback when he realized her husband was not on his list of targets. It left him feeling surprised and puzzled.

DePape recounted a conversation with Paul Pelosi, where he told Pelosi that he had other targets in mind. However, DePape warned Pelosi that if he tried to stop him, he would go through him. In response, DePape reacted by hitting Pelosi in the head because his plan was now "basically ruined."

Paul Pelosi arrives for an official State Dinner in honor of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Paul Pelosi arrives for an official State Dinner in honor of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi, at the White House in Washington, DC, on June 22, 2023.

Stefani Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images

Pelosi shared in his testimony that he woke up one night during the attack to find a man with a hammer in his home. The man, later identified as DePape by the police, asked about Pelosi's wife. Pelosi replied, "She's not here. She's in Washington."

After a struggle with DePape, Pelosi was violently hit in the head.

Pelosi underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture, hand, and arm injuries. He shared with jurors that his recovery has been tough, experiencing lightheadedness and headaches at times. He mentioned, "I've done my best to move forward and not dwell on this."

In a court document, former Speaker Pelosi stated that the assault on her husband had a profound impact on three generations of their family. She expressed that the break-in and disturbance of their peace at home continues to have a lasting effect.

A state case against DePape that includes charges of attempted murder, burglary and assault is expected to go to trial this summer.

This story has been updated with more information.

Editor's P/S:

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