Paul Pelosi attacker gets 30-year federal sentence as state trial looms

A federal judge on Friday sentenced the man who struck the husband of longtime San Francisco congresswoman Nancy Pelosi in the head with a hammer at their San Francisco home to 30 years in prison.

A federal jury convicted David DePape , 44, in November of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official with intent to retaliate against the official for performance of their duties. The charges carried maximum sentences of 20 and 30 years, respectively, and Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley sentenced DePape to concurrently serve the maximum term on both counts. He will receive credit for the 18 months he has already spent in custody.

Federal prosecutors sought a sentence of 40 years in prison for DePape’s October 2022 attack on 84-year-old Paul Pelosi . During the trial, DePape testified that he thought he was taking a stand against government corruption.

“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,” Aaron Bennett, a spokesperson for Nancy Pelosi, wrote in a press release Friday. “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.”

House Speaker Emerita Pelosi wrote to the court asking for a “very long” sentence, and Paul Pelosi said he still suffers from ongoing health problems stemming from the attack, according to court documents.

The Pelosis wrote in their letters to the court that they have never talked about the attack.

“Paul and I have not discussed the events of that horrible night,” Nancy Pelosi wrote. “Paul doesn’t want to undergo revisiting it, and the doctors’ advice is that discussing the vicious assault would only renew his trauma.”

Paul Pelosi wrote that he still has difficulty with his balance and walks slowly, and that he suffers from headaches that could become migraines if not quickly addressed.

“For months, sleeping alone in my home was very difficult because I kept remembering the defendant breaking into my house,” he wrote. “The defendant severely damaged the nerves in my left hand. My forehand was ‘de-gloved’ exposing raw nerves and blood vessels.”

He said that though surgeries and treatments have mostly healed his skin, he still feels pinched nerves in his left hand, which makes tasks such as using cutlery or buttoning clothes harder.

Police released security footage in January 2023 that showed DePape breaking into the Pelosis’ Pacific Heights home through a back entrance. He repeatedly shouted “Where is Nancy?” as he confronted Paul Pelosi inside their house.

Nancy Pelosi was in Washington D.C. at the time of the attack.

DePape proceeded to identify himself while speaking with Paul Pelosi, who covertly called 911. Police body-camera footage showed that upon officers’ arrival, DePape and Paul Pelosi were struggling over a hammer in the doorway. DePape proceeded to hit Paul Pelosi in the head with the hammer after the officers ordered him to drop it. The officers tackled DePape before taking him into custody and calling for medical assistance and backup.

Paul Pelosi sustained a skull fracture and injuries to his right arm. He was discharged from San Francisco Zuckerberg General Hospital a few days following the attack.

DePape told authorities that he planned to interrogate Nancy Pelosi and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him. During the trial, he said he attacked Paul Pelosi because his initial plan was not working.

A separate state trial against DePape will begin later this month. Jury selection is slated to begin Wednesday in San Francisco.