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David Depapp, the right-wing conspiracy theorist who broke into Nancy Pelosi’s Northern California home in 2022 and beat her husband with a hammer, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.
A federal jury convicted him of attempted kidnapping of a federal employee and assault on a federal employee’s immediate family member in November 2023just over a year after the attack on the former House Speaker’s home in San Francisco.
DePape broke in through the back door in the early hours of October 28, 2022 with plans to kidnap Nancy Pelosi, interrogate her and post the footage online. Instead, he found Paul Pelosi, who was 82 at the time, awoken by DePape in his bedroom with a hammer and ties, asking, “Where’s Nancy? Where’s Nancy?”
Paul Pelosi was able to call 911 and police officers arrived just before DePape struck him several times in the head with a hammer, knocking him unconscious. Pelosi required surgery for a fractured skull as well as injuries to her arm and hands after the attack, which was captured on police camera footage.
The attack, which came days before the 2022 midterm elections, fueled fears political violence in USA.
DePape had a history of promoting conspiracy theories online and had shared misinformation about Covid and the January 6 riot, as well as false claims that the 2020 election was stolen by Donald Trump. He had not been housed and suffered from drug abuse and mental illness in the years leading up to the attack, his ex-girlfriend told local media.
During the trial, he testified about his fringe political beliefs and how he came to support false conspiracy theories that a cabal of pedophiles controlled the US government.
He admitted to the assault but said he wanted to speak with Nancy Pelosi and that Paul Pelosi “was never my target and I’m sorry he was hurt.” His attorney said DePape targeted Nancy Pelosi because he believed “with every ounce of his being” that she was taking action to stop corruption and child abuse.
Last year, Paul Pelosi testified that he still had not fully recovered from the “traumatic attack” that required permanent plates and screws in his head.
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