On Friday, May 17, 2024, a judge sentenced David DePape, the man who attacked former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer, to 30 years in prison. However, due to an error, the court must resentence DePape. For context, the judge forgot to give him a chance to speak at the sentencing.
Court documents revealed that a federal rule requires the defendant to speak before sentencing in case he has any information that might “mitigate the sentence.” “As the court did not do so, it committed a clear error,” the documents read. Hence, the court has to reopen sentencing to address DePape.
According to reports, the court has not yet fixed a date for resentencing. However, it is to be held within 14 days of the sentencing hearing, which took place on May 17. DePape’s case dates back to October 28, 2022, when he broke into Nancy Pelosi’s house.
While testifying at trial, the defendant admitted to breaking into the former House Speaker’s San Francisco home. According to his testimony, DePape planned to kidnap Nancy Pelosi and harm her if she lied to him. Fortunately, the then-speaker was in Washington, DC, at the time of the attack.
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Although DePape didn’t see Nancy, he attacked her husband, Paul Pelosi. He also admitted to hitting Paul with a hammer on the head. While testifying, DePape claimed he planned to put an end to “government corruption.” Hence, he went after Nancy with deliberate plans to kidnap and injure her.
In a letter to the judge, Nancy’s husband, Paul, also recounted the incident. The then-speaker’s husband claims DePape’s large body and voice woke him up. Paul also noted that the defendant appeared with a hammer in his hand, shouting, “Where’s Nancy?”
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Furthermore, Paul claimed that DePape threatened to tie him up while waiting for his wife. The defendant also reportedly threatened he could take Paul out repeatedly before the police arrived. Notably, then-82-year-old Paul called the police from his bathroom.
As a result, DePape hit him in the head with his hammer, rendering him unconscious. Paul recounted the incident, saying he woke up in his own “pool of blood” with severe injuries all over his body. Before the sentencing on Friday, Judge Jacqueline Scott, who is overseeing the case, said the incident was “completely unprecedented.”
Afterward, a spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi issued a statement, saying the family was pleased with the sentencing. Furthermore, the family praised Paul for his courage, saying he saved his life during DePape’s attack.
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The former House speaker’s spokesperson, Aaron Bennett, noted that the Pelosi family was grateful to those who sent them love and prayers through the lengthy trial. Notably, the court found DePape guilty in November 2023. His crimes include the attempted kidnapping of a government official and assault on a federal official’s family member.
This is not the first time people have targeted federal officials and their immediate family members. In December 2023, several government officials reported swatting calls targeting their homes and family members.
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