A video released publicly on Friday shows the husband of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struggling for control of a hammer with her attacker during a brutal attack at the couple’s San Francisco home last October.
Body camera footage shows suspect David Depapp wresting the tool from 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and lunging at him with the hammer over his head. The hit on Pelosi happens out of sight, and the officers — one of whom is cursing — rush into the house and jump on Depapp.
Pelosi, apparently unconscious, can be seen lying face down on the floor in her pajama top and underwear. Officials later said he woke up in a pool of his own blood.
The release comes after a coalition of news agencies, including the Associated Press, requested access to the evidence prosecutors presented in open court last month. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office declined to release the exhibits to reporters.
A state court judge on Wednesday ruled there was no reason to keep the video secret.
Police cars are seen outside the home of Paul and Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco in October 2022 after an attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of then Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Footage of the attack, which was played as evidence in open court, was made public on Friday. (Jeff Chiu/Associated Press)
The evidence included portions of Paul Pelosi’s Oct. 28 911 call, as well as video images from Capitol Police surveillance cameras, a body camera worn by one of the two officers who responded to the house, and video of the suspect’s interview with De Pape with the police.
Capitol Police video shows De Pape walking to a glass-paneled door, exiting and then returning with a large backpack and two other bags.
He put all his items down and pulled out a hammer, pausing to put on gloves, and used it to break the glass of the door so he could enter through an opening.
DePape has pleaded not guilty to ongoing state and federal cases. He is being held in jail without bond.
David Wayne Depapp, 42, who is accused of breaking into Pelosi’s home and assaulting Paul Pelosi, sits in court in San Francisco in this November 2022 courtroom sketch.(Vicky Behringer/Reuters)
Members of Congress have faced a sharp increase in threats in the two years since the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol.
Paul Pelosi was sleeping in the couple’s home when Depapp allegedly broke in. Nancy Pelosi was in Washington at the time and was under the protection of her security staff, which did not extend to family members.
Her nearly 60-year-old husband later underwent surgery to repair a fractured skull and serious injuries to his right arm and hands. He has since appeared in public with a hat and glove covering his wounds.
Nancy Pelosi is seen with her husband Paul Pelosi at a state dinner at the White House on June 7, 2011. Nancy Pelosi was in Washington at the time of the attack in October 2022. (Brandon Smialowski/Getty Images)
On Thursday, Nancy Pelosi told reporters that her husband’s well-being was her top priority and she did not know if she would watch the video once it was released.
“I don’t even know if I’ll see it,” she said. “I mean, it would be very difficult to see an attack on my husband’s life, but I don’t know.”
Police said De Pape told them there was “evil in Washington” and wanted to harm Nancy Pelosi because she was second in line to the presidency at the time.
Depapp told police he was on a “suicide mission,” court documents said, and authorities said he was drawn to conspiracy theories.
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