Man Accused Of Attacking Paul Pelosi Pleads Not Guilty

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — David DePape, the man accused of brutally attacking Paul Pelosi Friday morning, made his first public appearance since the incident when he attended a court hearing Tuesday with his lawyer, who entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

DePape only spoke to tell Judge Diane Northway how to pronounce his last name (dih-PAP’). The 42-year-old defendant is scheduled to return to court Friday.

DePape faces state charges of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse, as well as federal charges including attempted kidnapping of a U.S. official. Those charges are outlined in an affidavit detailing the assault, which was largely captured on police body camera imagery after authorities responded to a 911 call from the Pelosis' Pacific Heights home.

As previously reported, DePape, 42, is accused of attacking Nancy Pelosi's husband Paul Pelosi, 82, with a hammer after breaking in to the Pelosi home early Friday morning. DePape admitted to authorities that he wanted to break Nancy Pelosi's kneecaps to show other lawmakers there were "consequences to their actions," according to the Department of Justice.

San Francisco police officers responded to the Pacific Heights residence of House Speaker and longtime Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi around 2:27 a.m. Friday when they saw both Paul Pelosi, 82, and DePape holding a hammer.

DePape pulled the hammer away and violently assaulted Paul Pelosi, according to police. Officers tackled and disarmed him before he was taken into custody.

DePape’s assault charge carries a maximum 30-year prison sentence, and his kidnapping charge carries an additional 20 years maximum, the Department of Justice said.

Police found a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, a pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and zip ties at the crime scene, according to the Department of Justice.

In an affidavit supporting probable cause, federal officials gave more details into the attack and what may have motivated DePape.

Below are five key details from the affidavit:

1. Paul Pelosi called 911 and said there was a man in his home who identified himself as David and was waiting for Nancy Pelosi, the affidavit says.

2. DePape and Pelosi were both holding the hammer used in the attack when officers arrived, the affidavit says. DePape had his other arm on Paul Pelosi's forearm and said "everything was good" when officers asked what was going on, the affidavit said. When Pelosi and DePape were asked to drop the hammer, DePape pulled it from Paul Pelosi’s hand and swung it, striking Paul Pelosi in the head, the affidavit says. Officers restrained DePape while Paul Pelosi appeared to be unconscious on the ground.

3. One witness said they saw an individual in all black, carrying a large black bag on his back, walking near the Pelosi residence, the affidavit said. The witness then heard what sounded like banging on either a door or a car, and then heard the sirens within a minute or two.

4. While in the ambulance, Paul Pelosi said that he was asleep when DePape entered the bedroom and said he wanted to talk to Nancy, the affidavit says. When Paul Pelosi told him that Nancy Pelosi was not there, DePape said that he would sit and wait, even after being told she would be gone for several days, the affidavit says.

5. According to the affidavit, in an interview with San Francisco Police Department Officers, DePape said that he was going to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and talk to her. He claimed that if Nancy Pelosi were to tell him the “truth,” he would let her go, and if she “lied,” he was going to break “her kneecaps,” the affidavit says. DePape told officers he saw Nancy Pelosi as the "leader of the pack" and wanted her to be wheeled into Congress to show others there were consequences to actions, the affidavit says.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.