SAN FRANCISCO — In a recent development, David DePape has been sentenced to life imprisonment without any chance of parole following a state trial. This verdict comes after he had already received a 30-year sentence in federal court for the alarming attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who was assaulted with a hammer in their California residence.
A jury in San Francisco ultimately found DePape guilty in June of several crimes, including aggravated kidnapping, first-degree burglary, and false imprisonment of an elder, all stemming from the violent incident in 2022. Judge Harry Dorfman, who presided over the state trial, rejected requests from DePape’s legal team for a new trial regarding the attack on Paul Pelosi, who was 82 years old during the incident.
“It is my intention that Mr. DePape will never be released; there will be no possibility of parole,” declared Judge Dorfman as he delivered the sentencing decision.
DePape’s defense attorney, Adam Lipson, posed arguments that highlighted DePape’s mental health challenges and the influence of prolonged isolation, which allegedly made him more susceptible to harmful online ideologies. Lipson claimed, “This is a man who has always lived peacefully and adhered to the law until he was activated.”
During his statement to the court, DePape, dressed in standard prison attire and sporting a ponytail, claimed various conspiracy theories, including those surrounding the September 11 attacks, purporting that his ex-wife had been swapped for a body double. He even insisted, “I’m a psychic,” while referencing his meditative practices and reading from various notes.
The victim’s daughter, Christine Pelosi, shared a statement from her father in court. Paul Pelosi expressed his desire for the harshest possible sentence, detailing his traumatic experience when DePape broke into their home, demanding to see Nancy Pelosi while threatening him with a hammer and zip ties. Paul Pelosi recounted the severe physical repercussions of the attack, including head injuries, a metal plate for a skull fracture, dizziness, and nerve damage in his left hand. He also noted that sleeping alone at home would often bring back distressing memories of that fateful night.
Before this sentencing, a federal jury had found DePape guilty of assaulting a relative of a federal official and attempting to kidnap a federal official. He received his initial 30-year sentence back in May following a resentencing hearing prompted by a prior judicial mistake. The life sentence from the state trial will occur concurrently with his federal jail term.
DePape’s defense asserted that subjecting him to a state trial after his federal conviction constituted double jeopardy, arguing that while the charges weren’t identical, both stemmed from the same violent act. Although the judge dismissed several of the state charges, he upheld others that were distinct from the federal case.
Having resided in the U.S. for several years prior to the violent outburst, DePape is expected to be deported back to Canada upon the completion of his prison sentence. The attack on Paul Pelosi unfolded just days before the 2022 midterm elections and sent shockwaves through the political community. Paul Pelosi suffered extensive injuries, including a skull fracture requiring surgical intervention, as well as damage to his right arm and hand.
During the federal trial, DePape openly admitted to planning to take Nancy Pelosi hostage, intending to film her interrogation and ensure her compliance through violence, specifically mentioning an intent to “break her kneecaps” should she fail to agree with his unfounded allegations related to “Russiagate,” which involves inquiries into foreign interference in the 2016 elections.