Closing arguments in the trial of a man accused of attacking former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer at the couple's San Francisco home concluded Wednesday. The case is now in the hands of the jury.
David DePape has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting a federal official’s family member. He faces life in prison if convicted.
The trial lasted just a few days. Experts note it's an unusual case.
"They don’t need to spend a lot of time on the evidence about what happened because that’s conceded because we see the video tape already, of course, of the attack," University of California College of the Law, San Francisco Professor David Levine said.
Levine said both sides tried to get the jury to buy into their version. For the prosecution, it was fairly straightforward.
"Right now, the key to it is that the prosecution has to show that he committed federal offenses," Levine said.
DePape, 43, surprisingly took the stand on Tuesday and apologized for the attack, echoing right-wing conspiracy theories to explain to jurors that he went to the Pelosis’ home as part of a bigger plot to end what he viewed as government corruption.
His attorneys have argued that he was not seeking to go after Nancy Pelosi because of her official duties as a member of Congress and so the charges do not fit.
"The defense is trying to say, 'Well, actually, this is part of this wider view that Mr. DePape held about all these people who were ruining the country if you will and that he was trying to do something about that and that Nancy Pelosi’s status as speaker was immaterial to his plans," Levine said.
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The attack happened in the early hours of Oct. 28, 2022, just days before the midterm elections.
In testimony Monday, Paul Pelosi recounted the attack publicly for the first time. He recalled being awakened by a man bursting into the bedroom door and asking, “Where’s Nancy?” He said that when he responded that his wife was in Washington, DePape said he would tie him up while they waited for her.
Paul Pelosi said he managed to call police, but when officers arrived, DePape hit him with a hammer. He said DePape told him he was going to have “to take you out.”
DePape has also pleaded not guilty to charges in state court of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other felonies. A state trial has not been scheduled.
