A San Francisco jury convicted David DePape of aggravated kidnapping, among other charges, in connection to the 2022 attack on Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. DePape, 42, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison, with additional convictions including first-degree burglary, false imprisonment of an elder, threatening a family member of a public official, and dissuading a witness. These convictions came weeks after a federal judge sentenced DePape for the same attack.
In a statement, Nancy Pelosi’s office praised Paul Pelosi’s bravery and resilience throughout his recovery and the trial. “Speaker Pelosi and her family remain in awe of their Pop’s bravery, which shone through again on the witness stand in this trial just as it did when he saved his own life on the night of the attack,” the statement read. “For nearly 20 grueling months, Mr. Pelosi has demonstrated extraordinary courage and fortitude every day of his recovery.”
DePape’s defense attorney, Adam Lipson, expressed disappointment with the verdict and announced plans to appeal. Lipson criticized the prosecutors’ decision to file a kidnapping for ransom charge, calling it “vindictive.” He argued that the state trial represented double jeopardy following DePape’s federal conviction, although the judge dismissed this argument.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Harry Dorfman had previously dismissed state charges of attempted murder, elder abuse, and assault with a deadly weapon, a decision upheld on appeal. Lipson stated that after DePape serves his federal sentence, he will be transferred to a California prison to serve the remainder of his life sentence.
DePape was previously convicted by a federal jury of assaulting a federal official’s family member and attempting to kidnap a federal official. During his federal trial, DePape admitted to planning to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage, record her interrogation, and harm her if she did not confess to what he believed were her lies about “Russiagate.”
The attack on Paul Pelosi occurred days before the 2022 midterm elections and was captured on police body camera footage. Paul Pelosi suffered severe injuries, including a skull fracture that required surgical intervention. The incident shocked the political world and underscored the rising threats against public officials and their families.
During the state trial, Assistant District Attorney Phoebe Maffei argued that DePape intended to create a video of Nancy Pelosi confessing to crimes and posting it online, suggesting the inherent value of such a recording. Lipson contended that there was no proof the video existed and that DePape’s intentions were not related to ransom.
The trial also saw disruptions from Gypsy Taub, DePape’s former partner, who was expelled from the courthouse for attempting to tamper with the jury by distributing conspiracy theory materials.
Sources By Agencies
