DOJ Seeks 40-Year Sentence for Man Found Guilty of Assaulting Paul Pelosi

The Department of Justice is pushing for a 40-year prison sentence for David DePape, who was found guilty of attacking Nancy Pelosi’s husband in October 2022. Federal prosecutors argue that the sentence would be fitting given the nature of the offense. The incident occurred at the Pelosi residence in San Francisco, where DePape assaulted Paul Pelosi with a hammer. Body camera footage and a 911 call from Pelosi were made public, showing the severity of the attack. DePape was convicted of assault and attempting to kidnap Nancy Pelosi, who was not present during the incident. He expressed regret for not attacking more Democrats in a phone call from jail. Despite attempts to blame the attack on political motivations, associates of DePape described him as mentally ill. DePape, a Canadian residing in the US illegally, also lived in a hippie commune in Berkeley.