David DePape Sentenced to Life Without Parole for Attack on Paul Pelosi
San Francisco court hands down life sentence to assailant of former House Speaker's husband
In a significant legal decision, David DePape was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the brutal attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
The sentencing was delivered by a San Francisco judge and announced by the district attorney general's office.
The assault took place in October 2022, when DePape broke into the Pelosi residence in San Francisco and assaulted the 82-year-old Paul Pelosi with a hammer, an incident recorded on police bodycam footage.
At the time of the attack, Nancy Pelosi, a prominent Democrat and then second in line to the presidency, was not at home.
The encounter resulted in Paul Pelosi suffering a fractured skull and losing consciousness, necessitating nearly a week of hospitalization and surgery.
DePape, a former Canadian nudist activist, initially intended to target Nancy Pelosi but instead attacked her husband.
He has already begun serving a 30-year federal sentence for this crime.
During the court proceedings, DePape made a statement filled with conspiracy theories but did not apologize to the Pelosi family.
His legal team plans to appeal the conviction.
District attorney Brooke Jenkins emphasized that this act of violence was fueled by dangerous partisan rhetoric and underscored the need for justice and adherence to the rule of law.
The incident, though trivialized by some politicians, represents a serious attack on a political leader and American democracy.