The person convicted of trying to kidnap then-Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer was sentenced Friday to 30 years in jail.
Choose Jacqueline Scott Corley handed down the sentence for David DePape, 44, whom jurors discovered responsible final November of tried kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the fast member of the family of a federal official. Prosecutors had requested for a 40-year jail time period.
DePape, who grew up in Powell River, B.C., earlier than shifting to the U.S., was given 20 years for one rely and 30 years for an additional rely. The sentences will run concurrently. He was additionally given credit score for the 18 months that he is been in custody.
DePape admitted throughout trial testimony that he broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home on Oct. 28, 2022, intending to carry the speaker hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him. He additionally admitted to bludgeoning Paul Pelosi with a hammer after police confirmed up, saying his plan to finish what he considered as authorities corruption was unraveling.
The assault on Paul Pelosi, who was 82 on the time, was captured on police body camera video simply days earlier than the midterm elections and despatched shockwaves through the political world.
WATCH | Physique digicam footage from the evening of the assault:
Defence attorneys argued DePape was motivated by his political views, not as a result of he needed to intrude with Nancy Pelosi’s official duties as a member of Congress, making the costs towards him invalid.
One in every of his attorneys, Angela Chuang, stated throughout closing arguments that DePape was caught up in conspiracy theories.
DePape left Canada roughly 20 years in the past to observe an older girlfriend to San Francisco.
At trial, DePape testified that he believed information retailers repeatedly lied about former U.S. president Donald Trump. In rants posted on a weblog and on-line discussion board that have been taken down after his arrest, he echoed the baseless, right-wing QAnon conspiracy idea that claims a cabal of devil-worshipping pedophiles runs the U.S. authorities.
DePape additionally instructed jurors he had deliberate to put on an inflatable unicorn costume and file his interrogation of the Democratic speaker, who was not on the dwelling on the time of the assault, to add it on-line.
Prosecutors stated he had rope and zip ties with him, and detectives discovered physique cameras, a pc and a pill.
Paul Pelosi additionally testified on the trial, recalling how he was woke up by a big man bursting into the bed room and asking, “The place’s Nancy?” He stated that when he responded that his spouse was in Washington, DePape stated he would tie him up whereas they waited for her.
“It was an amazing sense of shock to acknowledge that someone had damaged into the home, and taking a look at him and searching on the hammer and the ties, I acknowledged that I used to be in severe hazard, so I attempted to remain as calm as attainable,” Paul Pelosi instructed jurors.
DePape can also be charged in state courtroom with assault with a lethal weapon, elder abuse, residential housebreaking and different felonies. Jury choice in that trial is predicted to start out Wednesday.
Paul Pelosi suffered two head wounds within the assault, together with a cranium fracture that was mended with plates and screws he can have for the remainder of his life. His proper arm and hand have been additionally injured.