Paul Pelosi’s assailant, David DePape, has been sentenced to a staggering 30 years behind bars. The sentence comes after DePape was convicted for the attempted kidnapping of a public official and assaulting an immediate family member of a public official. Despite the hefty sentence, with time served and standard federal reductions, DePape is expected to serve approximately 24 years.
The decision was announced in a federal court where Christine Pelosi, daughter of Nancy Pelosi, delivered a victim impact statement according to Fox News. She shared letters from both her mother and her father, Paul, detailing the emotional and psychological scars left by the incident where he was attacked with a hammer in his home.
In her sentencing remarks, the judge highlighted a disturbing consequence of such violent acts. While this chapter closes with DePape’s federal sentencing, the saga is far from over. He faces additional charges in state court, including assault with a deadly weapon and attempted murder. Jury selection for the state trial is scheduled to begin next week, promising more developments in this shocking and unsettling case.
WATCH:
On October 28, 2022, David DePape forcefully entered the San Francisco residence of Paul Pelosi, striking him with a hammer and causing severe injuries, including a skull fracture. The pre-dawn attack was driven by DePape’s extreme political beliefs; he had hoped to capture Nancy Pelosi, intending to leverage her in a convoluted plot against what he saw as corrupt government forces. His confession revealed a chilling readiness to commit even more violence in the name of his cause.
DePape’s eccentric life took a wild turn in San Francisco, where he became a known figure in the nudist scene, closely associating with infamous nudist activist Gypsy Taub. His political leanings swung from radical anti-establishment to extreme ideologies. His digital footprint revealed an obsession with outlandish theories, from deep-seated government corruption to extraterrestrial cover-ups.
But it was the violent and politically charged attack on Paul Pelosi. Armed with zip ties and hammers, his plot was clear—to abduct Nancy Pelosi. DePape was swiftly apprehended at the scene and subsequently faced serious federal charges, including attempted kidnapping and assault. He was convicted in November 2023.
“He burst in the door, and that wakes me up,” Paul Pelosi testified last year. The home intruder stood in the bedroom doorway and asked, “Where’s Nancy?” Paul Pelosi recalled. “I have not discussed this incident with anybody. I’ve tried to put it out of my mind. I made the best effort I possibly can to not re-live this.”
Paul told a stunned courtroom how he knew he was in “serious danger” but tried to remain “as calm as possible” while listening to DePape allegedly say, “I’m going to have to take you out.” After telling DePape that his wife was in Washington, he began looking for opportunities to escape including by using the home’s elevator.
He testified, “I realized that it was a very serious situation. The first thing I tried to do was get up and try to get to the elevator, because if I can get in the elevator, there’s a phone in the elevator, and I could close the door so he couldn’t get to me. I walked toward the elevator, but he blocked me.”
“Then I got the idea. I went over to my bathroom because I always leave my cellphone in my bathroom. I dialed 911,” Pelosi added as he retold how he was able to leave a cryptic message with dispatchers that resulted in officers arriving at the house.