David DePape, who attacked Nancy Pelosi’s husband, sentenced to 30 years in prison
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Paul Pelosi attack: David DePape, a Canadian citizen who has lived in the US for around two decades, was also found guilty of attempting to kidnap Nancy Pelosi, who was in Washington DC at the time, instead confronted her husband, Paul.
The man who attacked Paul Pelosi, husband of the former United States House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was sentenced to 30 years in prison by a federal judge, on Friday (May 17).
The attacker, David DePape, was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted of assault and attempted kidnapping of a federal official, last year, after the violent attack in October 2022.
About DePape’s sentence
Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley who was presiding over the trial in a San Francisco federal court said she had to “ensure that the sentence reflects the seriousness of the offense.”
She added, “He broke into the home of an official and violently attacked the public official’s spouse. That act is unprecedented.”
DePape was sentenced to 30 years for assault and 20 years for attempted kidnapping, the sentences will run concurrently. He is also facing life imprisonment on separate state charges.
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The attack in October 2022 on Paul, who was 83 years old at the time, left him with multiple injuries including a fractured skull for which he was hospitalised for nearly a week.
The prosecutors had sought a 40-year sentence after a jury in November found the attacker guilty of one count of assault on the immediate family member of a federal official and a second count of attempted kidnapping of a federal official.
DePape, a Canadian citizen who has lived in the US for around two decades, and was found guilty of attempting to kidnap Nancy Pelosi, who was in Washington DC at the time, instead confronted her husband who was eventually able to call the police.
DePape entered the couple’s San Francisco house with a hammer looking for Nancy and “smash her kneecaps” if she did not admit to the ‘lies’ of the Democratic Party, the jury was told. When the police arrived, Paul and David were seen gripping a hammer.
Subsequently, when asked to drop the hammer by the officers responding to the incident, DePape abruptly struck Paul before being detained. The entire altercation was caught on the body cameras worn by the officers at the time.
‘Surprised and confused’
In the court, DePape testified that he was looking for Nancy Pelosi and when he found her husband, who was not on his list of targets, according to the Canadian national, he was “surprised and confused”.
DePape also said that he had reacted and hit Pelosi “in the head,” because his plan was “basically ruined.”
‘Immensely grateful’
A spokesperson for the former Speaker took to X and said that the family “couldn’t be prouder of their Pop and his tremendous courage” on the night of the attack and for testifying.
“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," added the spokesperson.
(With inputs from agencies)