OAN’s Brooke Mallory
12:28 PM – Thursday, November 9, 2023
David DePape’s federal trial is scheduled to start on Thursday, November 9th, with opening remarks.
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The 43-year-old was accused of attacking Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, by hitting him with a hammer at his San Francisco home in October 2022.
He has remained in custody since entering a not-guilty plea.
Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley turned down DePape’s counsel after they attempted to shift the trial away from San Francisco, claiming that the jury pool was corrupted by local media coverage of the case, making it impossible to have a fair trial since Nancy Pelosi and her husband are generally well-liked in liberal San Francisco.
On November 6th, the jury selection commenced. Paul Pelosi, who was assaulted with a hammer that resulted in a cracked skull, is anticipated to testify, as is a witness whose identity is being withheld. The witness is being labeled as “Target 1.”
David Wayne DePape, a Canadian citizen, was residing in Richmond, a small community in the California Bay Area close to Berkeley.
He was reportedly living in a garage at the time of the incident, according to officials. DePape was described as a “hemp jewelry maker” in a 2013 San Francisco Chronicle piece, which also mentioned that he shared a home with a nudist campaigner.
The assailant was shown in additional San Francisco Chronicle articles attending a “naked wedding” on the steps of San Francisco City Hall and he had previously posted lengthy diatribes on religious topics, saying things like “Jesus is the anti-christ.”
However, Pelosi does not appear to be mentioned in any of his public posts.
Court records state that during the search of DePape’s residence, officers discovered a sword, two hammers, and a pair of cloth and rubber gloves. Along with Paypal credit cards, they also purportedly discovered documents from the IRS and the California Department of Motor Vehicles.
Following his arrest, the Department of Homeland Security allegedly requested to hold an individual who has been detained for a crime until they are released by law enforcement. This procedure is known as a detainer.
On October 28th, 2022, the day that Paul Pelosi was attacked, the FBI and San Francisco Police Department announced that they had a suspect in custody.
DePape was accused of two federal felonies: assaulting a member of a government official’s immediate family and attempting to abduct a federal officer or employee.
He may spend up to 20 years in jail on the first indictment and 30 years on the second charge if found guilty.
In addition, he is facing other state counts that carry sentences ranging from more than 13 years to life in prison, including attempted murder, domestic burglary, assault with a dangerous weapon, and threats against a public officer.
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