SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — The man accused of breaking into Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home, holding her husband hostage, and attempting to murder Pelosi’s husband with a hammer, pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday morning.
David DePape, 42, of Richmond, is charged with attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and burglary in connection to the San Francisco home invasion.
Police and prosecutors said DePape had a hit list of government leaders, their family members, and celebrities who he planned to target.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi was his first target, but when he broke into her house on October 28, he only found Paul Pelosi asleep in the bedroom, according to police. Two police officers’ body cameras recorded DePape beating Paul Pelosi with a hammer seconds before one officer tackled DePape and arrested him. The body camera video was played in court for DePape’s preliminary hearing earlier this month.
Mr. Pelosi was struck in the head with the hammer, collapsed to the ground, lost consciousness, and lay facedown in a pool of blood, according to SFPD officer Kyle Cagney. Paul Pelosi survived the attack and was treated at a hospital for severe head injuries.
On Wednesday DePape waived his right to a speedy trial. His next court date is set for February 23 to schedule a date for a jury trial. He will remain locked in a San Francisco jail cell with no bail.
When the case moves into the trial phase, DePape’s defense team face a mountain of evidence against him. The Pelosi’s home surveillance cameras — which are monitored by U.S. Capitol Police — recorded DePape breaking into the house through a glass panel.
DePape made a full confession to San Francisco Police Department Lt. Carla Hurley, she testified. He allegedly told Hurley that his other targets included: President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden; California Governor Gavin Newsom; and actor Tom Hanks.
DePape told Hurley that he was on a “suicide mission” and would do whatever it took to stop “corruption and lies” in Congress, Hurley testified for the preliminary hearing.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Wednesday, “Mr. DePape will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and held accountable for his heinous crimes.” Assistant District Attorney Phoebe Maffei described DePape’s alleged plot as “cold and calculated.”
Where is the 911 call, confession tape, and body camera video?
Conspiracy theories have swirled around circumstances of the hammer attack ever since news broke about the incident. Some social media users have asked to hear Paul Pelosi’s 911 call to police, watch video of DePape’s recorded confession to police, and see the SFPD’s body camera video that captured the attack.
The 911 call, confession tape, and body camera video, however, have not been released to the public. The San Francisco Police Department and District Attorney’s Office also declined to release copies to the media.
Two dozen reporters, including a KRON4 news reporter, were able to hear audio of the 911 call, confession tape, and body camera video when those pieces of evidence were played in a courtroom by prosecutors for DePape’s December 14 preliminary hearing.
Reporters sitting in the courtroom gallery were unable to view any of the videos because the courtroom’s TV monitor faced toward the judge, and away from the gallery. The judge allowed reporters to type notes of the court proceedings on their laptops. KRON4’s reporter transcribed audible parts of the 911 call, confession tape, and body camera video here.
