David DePape: Paul Pelosi's accused attacker pleads not guilty to multiple felony charges
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: Alleged attacker of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul Pelosi, pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other state felony charges, in court on December 28. Clad in bright orange sweater and sweat pants issued by the jail, David DePape, 42, made his appearance at a San Francisco court.
The accused attacker appeared for his brief hearing at the court where he also waived his right to a speedy trial. On October 28, 2022, Paul was attacked by DePape, and he suffered multiple injuries as he was bludgeoned with a hammer, causing serious injuries which include deep lacerations on the right arm, a circular indentation on the right side of his head, and a skull fracture, prosecutors said, reports the New York Post.
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Earlier this month, DePape claimed in a preliminary hearing that when he broke into the California home, he was looking for Speaker Pelosi and pointed out that he was on a "suicide mission," testified sergeant Carla Hurley, a San Francisco police.
Before the brutal attack took place, DePape had been working as a landscape gardener. Notably, he is a Canadian national who is in the US illegally. According to the New York Post, during an interview, DePape told Hurley that he planned to target California Governor Gavin Newsom, President Biden’s son Hunter Biden and actor Tom Hanks, before the attack.
The alleged intruder who broke into the speaker's California home was told by Paul that his wife was not at home and also asked why he was looking for her to which DePape said that it was because Nancy was second in line to the presidency. During the preliminary hearing on December 14, the sergeant testified that DePape “wanted to show Nancy Pelosi … that there are consequences to their [politicians’] actions.”
At the court's preliminary hearing, the prosecutors displayed the weapon DePape allegedly used to attack Paul. While the violent attack took place, House Speaker was in Washington, DC. Managing to call 911, Paul told that a stranger was inside his home.
DePape and Paul were standing in the doorway when San Francisco Police Officer Kyle Cagney and another officer reached the Pelosi home at around 2.20 am, testified Cagney. “They were both grabbing a single hammer. The man on the left, Pelosi, was holding the head of the hammer while [DePape] had the handle,” the sergeant said.
As per the news outlet, Cagney explained the crime scene where he saw DePape raise the weapon, stepping forward before he brought down the weapon on Pelosi’s head “really hard,” which led to him losing his consciousness and dropping on the floor.
The attacker faces six state charges, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and threatening a family member of public officials, as per the New York Post report.
After the court hearing on Wednesday, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated that “Mr DePape will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and held accountable for his heinous crimes,” as he is scheduled to appear at the court on February 23 for setting the date for a trial.