David DePape was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The incident took place in October 2022, just days before the midterm elections. DePape broke into the Pelosi home and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer, which was captured on police bodycam video.
The state trial for DePape began with opening statements in late May, following his federal sentencing. He was convicted on multiple state charges, including aggravated kidnapping, false imprisonment, burglary, and threatening a public official’s family. Despite his attorneys’ arguments for a new trial, Judge Harry Dorfman sentenced DePape to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
During his sentencing, DePape read a statement focusing on government conspiracy theories, claiming that 9/11 was an inside job. Paul Pelosi’s daughter, Christine Pelosi, read a statement detailing the impacts of the attack on her father and the family. The Pelosi family expressed gratitude for the legal justice served and the support they received.
In addition to the life sentence for the state charges, DePape received a 30-year federal sentence. Both the prosecution and defense stated that the sentences would be served concurrently, but the location of DePape’s imprisonment has not been determined yet.
Overall, the sentencing of David DePape for the attack on Paul Pelosi brings closure to a traumatic event for the Pelosi family and serves as a reminder of the consequences of violent actions driven by extreme ideologies.
