Man who attacked husband of former US House speaker gets 30 years

The man who brutally attacked the husband of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer was sentenced on Friday to 30 years in prison, according to the US Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California.

David DePape, 44, was convicted of assault on the immediate family member of a federal official last November after breaking into the San Francisco home of Pelosi and her husband, Paul. The House speaker was in Washington, D.C. at the time, but DePape carried out the hammer attack on her husband, fracturing his skull.

Prosecutors said DePape admitted he originally went to Pelosi's home on Oct. 28, 2022 with the intent to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and break her kneecaps if she did not truthfully answer questions about multiple right-wing conspiracy theories. He was also convicted of attempted kidnapping of a federal official.

The judge handed down 20 years for one count and 30 years for the other, which DePape will serve concurrently. He was given credit for 18 months already served behind bars.

"We are grateful to the jury for their deliberations and the justice that this verdict signifies," said US Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey in a statement. "Our public servants and their families deserve to work and live without threats and violence."

DePape's defense attorneys had asked for a 14-year sentence because he had no previous criminal history. Prosecutors had sought the maximum sentence of 40 years.

"The court's sentence will ensure that DePape will not be able to use violence to pollute the political process," said Ramsey. "Robust, passionate, political debate is appropriate and often necessary in our democracy, but today's sentence is a stern reminder that political discourse must never transform into violence."

Pelosi's family said they were grateful that Paul Pelosi, whom they call "Pop," was recovering and thanked the public for their well wishes.

"The Pelosi family couldn't be prouder of their Pop and his tremendous courage in saving his own life on the night of the attack and in testifying in this case," family spokesperson Aaron Bennet said in a statement. "Speaker Pelosi and her family are immensely grateful to all who have sent love and prayers over the last eighteen months, as Mr. Pelosi continues his recovery."

DePape still faces state charges that include attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary, false imprisonment and threatening the life of or serious bodily harm to a public official. Jury selection for that case is expected to begin next week.