David DePape has been found guilty by a San Francisco jury on all five state charges related to his attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of Democratic lawmaker Nancy Pelosi. The charges include aggravated kidnapping resulting in bodily harm or death, false imprisonment of an elder or dependent adult, threatening the family of public officials, first-degree residential burglary, and preventing or dissuading a witness by force or threat, according to CBS News.
The attack occurred in October 2022, when DePape broke into the Pelosi residence and assaulted Paul Pelosi, then 82, in an attempt to confront his wife. Despite a defense argument presented by San Francisco Public Defender Adam Lipson, which claimed DePape was driven by conspiracy theories due to his isolated lifestyle, the jury unanimously convicted him.
Last month, DePape received a 30-year prison sentence following a conviction in November 2023 for the attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on a family member of a public official. These charges were related to his violent actions against Paul Pelosi during the home invasion.
Before the most recent trial began, Judge Harry M. Dorfman dismissed three of DePape’s state charges, including attempted murder, assault of an elder, and assault with a deadly weapon. Dorfman accepted the defense’s argument that pursuing these charges could prevent a retrial on the same charges after an acquittal or conviction, as reported by CNN.
In response to the verdict, Aaron Bennett, a spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi, released a statement praising Paul Pelosi’s bravery. “Speaker Pelosi and her family remain in awe of their Pop’s bravery, which shone through again on the witness stand in this trial just as it did when he saved his own life on the night of the attack. For nearly 20 grueling months, Mr. Pelosi has demonstrated extraordinary courage and fortitude every day of his recovery,” Bennett stated.
The Pelosi family expressed their gratitude for the support they have received and announced that they would refrain from further comments until the sentencing is finalized.