Feds charge Paul Pelosi attacker with assault, attempted kidnapping; suspect intended to hold the Speaker hostage
KEVIN JOHNSON
A 42-year-old man, who allegedly targeted House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a break-in at her San Francisco home, was charged Monday by federal authorities with assault and attempted kidnapping in connection with the violent attack on her husband, leaving him with a fractured skull and other serious injuries.
In announcing the charges against David DePape, federal officials said the suspect allegedly told police after assaulting Paul Pelosi that he intended to “hold Nancy hostage.”
“If Nancy were to tell (the suspect) the ‘truth,’ he would let her go, and if she ‘lied,’ he was going to break ‘her kneecaps,’ ” court documents stated.
“In the course of the interview, DePape articulated he viewed Nancy as the ‘leader of the pack’ of lies told by the Democratic Party,” the federal affidavit states. “DePape also later explained that by breaking Nancy’s kneecaps, she would then have to be wheeled into Congress, which would show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions.”
DePape is charged with one count of assault of 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. He also is accused of 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.
Suspect who attacked Nancy Pelosi’s husband with hammer faces attempted homicide charges
AP
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has said that Paul Pelosi encountered DePape in an upstairs area of the family home after the assailant had made a “forced entry” through a rear door.
In a weekend statement, the Speaker said DePape “demanded to confront me and brutally attacked my husband.”
The suspect also allegedly called out, “Where is Nancy?” during the incident, a person familiar with the matter said. The Speaker was not at home at the time.
FILE – Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and her husband, Paul Pelosi, arrive at the State Department for the Kennedy Center Honors State …
KEVIN WOLF, AP
Jenkins said Paul Pelosi was able to place a 911 call to authorities after encountering his assailant, prompting the dispatcher to deploy officers to the family’s home where they allegedly found DePape and Pelosi holding a hammer.
Police said the suspect took the hammer away from Pelosi and struck him before officers tackled DePape, disarmed him and placed him in custody.
Culled from usatoday.
