Man on Trial for Assault on Paul Pelosi
Jury deliberations were underway Wednesday in the federal trial of a man accused of bludgeoning former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi with a hammer at the couple's San Francisco mansion last year, following the conclusion of closing arguments.
The defendant is charged with attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official with intent to retaliate against the official for performance of their duties. His attorneys argued that he was not seeking to go after Nancy Pelosi because of her official duties as a member of Congress and so the charges did not fit.
If convicted, the defendant faces life in prison.
Testimony in the case wrapped up Tuesday, highlighted by the defendant's tearful recounting of the events on Oct. 28, 2022, that led to the assault on Paul Pelosi. The defendant told jurors he went to the Pelosis' home as part of a bigger plot to end what he viewed as government corruption.
He described his worldview as shaped by incessant consumption of extreme right-wing media and aligned with QAnon-inspired conspiracy theories.
A Disturbing List of Targets
In a chilling turn of events, a recent intrusion at the home of the Pelosis was just the beginning of a planned series of attacks. The perpetrator, identified as a Canadian citizen named DePape, had compiled a list of progressive politicians and celebrities whom he believed were part of a nefarious group responsible for the country's downfall. Among the individuals on his list were California Governor Gavin Newsom, California Congressman Adam Schiff, actor Tom Hanks, and even President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden. Shockingly, Dr. Gayle Rubin, a prominent scholar and professor, was also included as Target 1 in court documents.
During the trial, DePape, who was residing in a garage in Richmond at the time of the incident, revealed his intention to coerce Nancy Pelosi and the other targets into confessing their alleged corruption. He stated, "If she lied, I would break her kneecaps. The choice is on her." Furthermore, DePape expressed his desire for President Biden to grant pardons to these individuals so that the nation could move forward.
An Unsettling Attack
Paul Pelosi, Nancy Pelosi's husband, recounted the terrifying ordeal during his testimony on Monday. This was the first time he publicly shared his account of the attack. According to him, a man forcefully entered their bedroom and repeatedly demanded to know Nancy's whereabouts. Pelosi informed the intruder that she was in Washington DC, to which he responded that he would wait for her.
"He claimed she was the ringleader and that he had to eliminate her. He intended to tie me up and wait for her," Pelosi revealed.
"I deeply regret that he was inadvertently injured," DePape admitted.
"I acted out of frustration after my original intentions were thwarted," he explained when questioned about his attack on Pelosi.
DePape has entered a plea of not guilty for charges in the state court, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary, and other serious crimes. A date for the state trial has not yet been set.
