Man Tearfully Recounts Motivations Behind Bludgeoning Incident
A man named David DePape took the stand on Tuesday morning in his federal trial, where he tearfully recounted the motivations that led to the bludgeoning incident of Paul Pelosi, husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, at their San Francisco mansion last year.
The 43-year-old DePape, who described himself as transitioning from being "left-wing" to becoming more conservative, revealed that his actions were fueled by conspiracy theories and right-wing media. He stated that he was influenced by far-fetched plans to "take down" a series of high-profile figures that have been demonized in right-wing media over the years.
"At that time, I was biased against Trump, but there's, like, truth there," DePape said, sobbing. "So if there's truth out there that I don't know, I want to know it."
Originally from Canada, DePape testified that he was living in a friend's garage and doing carpentry work at the time of the attack. He admitted to spending endless hours playing video games and consuming political content online.
A man named DePape has recently made headlines for his alleged attack on the home of Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker of the House. According to reports, DePape had been consuming content from various conservative media outlets, such as Tim Pool, Glenn Beck, and YouTube videos, which shaped his worldview. He believed in a conspiracy theory involving a group of government officials, celebrities, and pedophiles who were supposedly driving the country towards ruin.
The defense team argues that the attack on the Pelosis' home was part of a larger plan to combat corruption in the United States. DePape has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on a family member of a federal official with the intention to retaliate against the official for their duties.
DePape's lawyers claim that his motive was not related to Nancy Pelosi's role as a member of Congress, and therefore, the charges brought against him do not align with his intentions.
The incident took place in the early hours of October 28, 2022, just days before the midterm elections. DePape stated that he went to the Pelosis' home to discuss Russian involvement in the 2016 election with Nancy Pelosi. He allegedly planned to wear an inflatable unicorn costume during the encounter and intended to upload the interrogation online. Prosecutors argue that DePape had rope and zip ties in his possession at the time.
"Paul Pelosi was never my target, and I apologize for any harm he suffered," DePape expressed.
Defense attorney claims DePape believed he was stopping government corruption and abuse of children
Last week, defense attorney Jodi Linker argued in court that DePape's actions were motivated by a desire to combat government corruption, the erosion of freedom in the United States, and the abuse of children by politicians and actors.
Paul Pelosi recounts attack for the first time in testimony
In his testimony on Monday, Paul Pelosi publicly shared his experience of the attack for the first time. He described being woken up by a man bursting into his bedroom and demanding to know the whereabouts of his wife, Nancy Pelosi. When Paul responded that she was in Washington, the attacker, DePape, said he would tie him up until she arrived.
DePape expresses remorse for Paul Pelosi's injuries
During his own testimony on Tuesday, DePape expressed remorse for the injuries sustained by Paul Pelosi. DePape stated that he felt bad for Pelosi after hearing the testimony of a neurosurgeon who had operated on him. Pelosi had undergone surgery to repair a skull fracture and injuries to his right arm and hands.
DePape mentioned that he and Pelosi had developed a good rapport during the incident, and he even tried to reassure Pelosi by giving him a squeeze on the shoulder. DePape claimed that the idea of restraining Pelosi did not occur to him at the time.
DePape explains why he attacked Pelosi
When asked why he struck Pelosi on the head, DePape stated that he reacted because his plan had been ruined. DePape's intention to restrain Pelosi was thwarted when officers arrived at the Pelosi residence and found the two men grappling over a hammer.
During the testimony, an individual named DePape revealed his plan to expose corruption and secure pardons for his targets, including Nancy Pelosi, Hunter Biden, Adam Schiff, Bill Barr, Tom Hanks, Bernie Sanders, and Gavin Newsom. His ultimate goal was to have President Joe Biden pardon all of them, believing it would be easier for the country to move forward.
However, it was also revealed that DePape had targeted Bay Area scholar Dr. Gayle Rubin, who is known for her work in feminist theory and queer studies. DePape falsely accused Rubin of being a "pedo activist" and intended to use Pelosi to gain access to her. Rubin has been the subject of misconstrued writings, which have been used to demonize the LGBTQ community.
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If found guilty, DePape could potentially spend the rest of his life behind bars. Despite the charges brought against him in state court, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary, and various other felonies, DePape maintains his innocence and has pleaded not guilty. As of now, a date for the state trial has not been determined.
This report includes contributions from Kenny Choi, Kathleen Seccombe, and The Associated Press.
