A Judge Throws Out Attempted Murder and Other Charges Against the Person Who Attacked Paul Pelosi
SAN FRANCISCO — The person who attacked Paul Pelosi was found guilty in federal court last month, but on Thursday, a judge threw out several state charges against them because they could be used against them again, according to the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office.
David DePape was found guilty last month of trying to kidnap a federal official and attacking a family member of a federal official. He was given a term of 30 years in federal prison, which will run along with any punishment that might come out of the state trial. After he finishes his sentence, he will probably be sent back to Canada.
After the win in federal court, state officials kept going after DePape, who they say hit the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer in their San Francisco home in 2022. At the time of the attack, Paul Pelosi was 82 years old.
But DePape’s public lawyers say that the state trial is unfair because he was already found guilty in federal court. In both cases, the public defender’s office said that the crimes were the same, even though the charges were different.
The state charged the person on Thursday with attempted murder, elder abuse, and assault with a dangerous weapon. The judge dropped the charges.
On top of those charges, DePape is still being charged with false imprisonment, residential burglary, threatening a family member of a public figure, trying to sway a witness, and aggravated kidnapping. There were no parts of those in the federal hearing.
He has said he is not guilty of everything.
The public defender’s office only confirmed the judge’s decision and had nothing else to say. The San Francisco Chronicle and KQED were the first to report that the charges had been dropped.
During his federal trial, DePape said he was going to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage, question her, and “break her kneecaps” if she didn’t admit to the lies he said she told about “Russiagate.” This refers to the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
A police body camera caught the attack on Paul Pelosi just days before the 2022 midterm elections. The attack shocked people in politics. He hit his head twice and broke his brain. Plates and screws were used to fix it, and he will have them for the rest of his life. He hurt his right arm and hand too.