Federal grand jury indicts DePape on kidnapping, assault charges in Paul Pelosi attack
SAN FRANCISCO -- A federal grand jury on Wednesday returned an indictment charging Richmond resident David DePape with assault and attempted kidnapping in connection with the assault of Paul Pelosi at his San Francisco home.
- Read the indictment here
The Department of Justice issued a press release on the indictment, noting that it supersedes the federal criminal complaint filed on Oct. 31.
The 42-year-old Richmond resident faces those charges as well as local and state charges in the Oct. 28th attack that sent Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul to the hospital with injuries from DePape's alleged violent assault with a hammer.
"DePape is charged with one count of assault upon an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison," the Department of Justice statement read. "DePape is also charged with one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison."
The original criminal complaint confirmed DePape was politically-motivated attack in his break-in at the Pelosi home. It stated DePape told officers he intended to take Nancy Pelosi hostage (constituting federal charges) and described her as the "'leader of the pack' of lies told by the Democratic Party."
ALSO READ:
- Pelosi attack suspect David DePape embraced hate speech, multiple conspiracy theories
- Report: Police sources says Paul Pelosi attack suspect had zip ties, duct tape
- San Francisco DA Jenkins swats down misinformation about Pelosi attack
- Full coverage of Pelosi attack
DePape told officers he wanted to talk to Nancy and if she were to tell him the "truth" he would let her go, but if she "lied" he intended to break "her kneecaps." Per the complaint, he said it was to show other members of Congress there are "consequences to actions."
The assault left Paul Pelosi with severe head and arm injuries.
"(The head injury was) on the top in two places," Nancy Pelosi said of the skull fracture during a recent interview with CNN that marked the first time she had spoken about the attack publicly. "And that's pretty awful. That's pretty awful. But the good news was when he came – when he had the operation, and we were blessed by the health care professionals at San Francisco General. They told us it had not pierced his brain, which is what could be deadly or worse."
"What they had to do was they had to take off the skull, reshape it, put it back so it didn't scratch or pierce the brain. It's pretty – it's a pretty serious operation... Always concern, the hematomas, all the rest of that," she added.
