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David DePape to face federal trial before state court appearance, attorney confirms
Federal trial set to begin on October 11 for suspect accused of attacking Paul Pelosi in 2022
David DePape, the suspect accused of breaking into the San Francisco home of Paul and Nancy Pelosi and attacking Paul, will face a federal trial before appearing in state court, according to his attorney. The federal trial, relating to the incident that occurred in October 2022, is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, October 11.
DePape, who is 42 years old, is facing federal charges of assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official and attempted kidnapping of a federal officer. The alleged home invasion attack left Paul Pelosi, 83, hospitalized for emergency surgery to treat a skull fracture. In November 2022, DePape pleaded not guilty to these charges.
A month later, DePape pleaded not guilty to the state charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and elder abuse.
Status hearing set for September 13
In a recent appearance in state court, DePape’s attorney, Adam Lipson, scheduled a status hearing for September 13. Lipson explained that he still has a significant amount of discovery to do regarding the state case against his client. The attorney also indicated that he won’t set a trial date for the state court until he has a better idea of when the federal trial will conclude.
Originally, it was planned for DePape to face trial at the state level first during the summer. However, due to the delay, the federal trial will now take place before the state trial. Lipson did not comment on whether having the federal trial go first would impact his defense in the state trial.
During the recent courtroom appearance, DePape sat in the back without saying a word. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit.
Surveillance footage depicts the attack
In January, surveillance video and bodycam footage of the attack were released by the San Francisco County Superior Court. The footage shows police knocking on the door of Pelosi’s home, with Paul Pelosi and DePape standing inside. One officer asks, “What’s going on, man?” DePape responds, “Everything is good,” while both he and Pelosi have one hand on a hammer. DePape also places a hand on Pelosi’s wrist, and Pelosi appears to be holding an object in his other hand.
The officer instructs, “Drop the hammer!” shining his flashlight at the two men. DePape says, “Umm, nope,” as he starts to pull the hammer away from Pelosi. Pelosi exclaims, “Hey! Hey, hey, hey!” The hammer eventually breaks free and DePape swings it at Pelosi, who tries to retreat but is struck.
Police rush into the house and apprehend DePape, as one officer exclaims, “Oh, s—!”
Another clip from the footage, shown in black and white, captures DePape approaching the Pelosis’ home, dropping multiple bags on the ground, and then rummaging through them. He retrieves a hammer from his clothing and begins swinging it at a glass door before entering the house.
Conclusion
The federal trial for David DePape, accused of breaking into the San Francisco home of Paul and Nancy Pelosi and attacking Paul, is set to begin on October 11. DePape faces federal charges of assaulting a family member of a federal official and attempting to kidnap a federal officer. His attorney, Adam Lipson, confirmed that a federal trial will precede the state court appearance. The recent release of surveillance footage provides a chilling account of the attack. As the court proceedings continue, more details will emerge, shedding light on this shocking incident.
