Mary Pintea – News Editor

mvp5879@psu.edu

Paul Pelosi returned home from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital on Thursday, November 3 following an attack that occurred at his residence. 

The attack, which resulted in a skull fracture, as well as hand and arm injuries, left the Pelosi family concerned and fearful for their safety. Nancy Pelosi, the 52nd speaker of the House of Representatives, was traveling at the time of the attack. 

San Francisco police entered the Pelosi family home around 2:27 a.m. local time on Friday, Oct. 28. Upon entry, Paul Pelosi was seen fending off a man with a hammer, who has now been identified as David DePape. Before officers could reach him in time, DePape violently assaulted Pelosi with the hammer. 

Depape entered a not guilty plea on Tuesday, Nov. 1 to all state charges at his initial court appearance. He chose to waive his right to a hearing within ten days of his arraignment. Judge Diane Northway then set a hearing for Friday, Nov. 4. to establish a date for the preliminary hearing and bail charges. The 42-year-old has been charged with a long list of crimes, including assault, attempted murder, and attempted kidnapping. In addition to these charges, he was also charged with one count of “attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official,” as he had planned to “hold hostage” Nancy Pelosi. Alone, the attempted kidnapping charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison—Depape has not yet entered a plea in federal court, which may change the trajectory of the sentence. 

Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security stated that DePape was in the United States illegally and may face deportation. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, otherwise known as ICE, has lodged an immigration detainer on DePape, who is a Canadian citizen. 

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins claims that she is unsure whether DePape will seek an insanity defense. Jenkins told media, “He spelled out exactly what he did and why, so he was very clear about what his intentions were, about why he had those intentions, and what exactly he had planned to do,” adding, “I don’t think we can definitely say at this point that he didn’t know what he was doing.” 

The assailant told the police that he was on a suicide mission, with plans to kill other prominent individuals. DePape went on to tell officers and medics that he was sick of the “level of lies” coming from Washington, D.C., and “came here to have a little chat with [Pelosi’s] wife.” 

The attack on the Pelosi household has raised concerns over the safety of politicians in the current political climate. The U.S. Capitol Police Chief, Tom Manger, called for better security on behalf of Congressional members. He plans to hire another 280 officers by the end of December to provide a wider scope of protection for political officials.