A federal judge has denied a new trial for David DePape, who broke into the home of Paul Pelosi and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and attacked Paul with a hammer as police arrived on the scene.
DePape was convicted of assault and kidnapping charges in November 2023 for the October 2022 incident.
He has not yet been sentenced, but faces 50 years in prison for the attack on Pelosi.
His lawyer argued that prosecutors failed to prove his motive for the attack–to stop Nancy from carrying out her official duties as a member of Congress.
Target: Nancy Pelosi
DePape had been looking for Nancy Pelosi after breaking into the Pelosi home. He intended to kidnap her and break her kneecaps but she wasn’t at home when he broke in.
Luckily, Paul Pelosi was able to call the police right as DePape entered the home. He got medical treatment almost immediately after DePape hit him in the head with a hammer and fractured his skull because police had already arrived on the scene.
Body cam footage presented during the trial showed Pelosi screaming as DePape hit him with the hammer.
Pelosi spent time in the hospital after the attack but has since fully recovered.
New trial not warranted
“The defense team was permitted to argue its theory to the jury – that the defendant targeted Speaker Pelosi because he believed she was part of an elite, corrupt cabal and because of her role as the head of the Democratic Party,” prosecutors argued.
DePape’s lawyers also tried to argue that the jury wasn’t properly instructed in the case.
“The Court properly instructed the jury on the legal requirements for both charges and the government did not misstate these requirements in its jury addresses,” the ruling read. “The jury rejected the defense theory of the case and instead convicted [the] defendant,” the motion read. “A new trial is not warranted.”
While it’s true that most of us on the right have felt anger toward the former Speaker of the House for her strident left-wing policies and for two spurious Trump impeachments, DePape crossed the line by finding out Pelosi’s home address and then going there with the intent of hurting him.
DePape should have had a mental health evaluation if he thought breaking into the Pelosis’ home and assaulting them was an idea that made good sense to him.
It probably would not have been that hard to convince a jury that he was crazy.
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Author: Jen Krausz
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