A man convicted of a hammer attack on former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband is set to be sentenced

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Man has been convicted of attempting to kidnap the then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and attacking her husband with a hammer is scheduled to be sentenced in federal court on Friday.

Jurors found 44-year-old David DePape guilty in November of attempted kidnapping of a federal officer and assault on an immediate family member of a federal officer. Prosecutors asked the judge Jacqueline Scott Corley for a 40-year prison sentence.

DePape admitted during the trial that he broke into the Pelosi home in San Francisco on October 28, 2022, intending to take the speaker hostage and “break her kneecaps” if she lied to him. He also admitted hitting Paul Pelosi with a hammer after police showed up, saying his plan to end what he saw as government corruption was unraveling.

The attack on then-82-year-old Paul Pelosi was captured on video by a police body camera just days before the midterm elections and sent shockwaves throughout the political world.

Defense attorneys argued that DePape was motivated by his political beliefs and not because he wanted to interfere with the speaker’s official duties as a member of Congress, making the charges against him moot.

One of his lawyers, Angela Chuang, said during closing arguments that DePape was steeped in conspiracy theories.

At trial, DePape, a Canadian who moved to the United States more than 20 years ago, testified that he believed news outlets repeatedly lied about former President Donald Trump. In rants posted on a blog and online forum that were removed after his arrest, DePape repeated the baseless right-wing conspiracy theory of QAnon, which claims that the U.S. government is run by a cabal of devil-worshipping pedophiles.

DePape also told jurors that he planned to wear an inflatable unicorn costume and record his interrogation of the Democratic speaker, who was not home at the time of the attack, to upload online.

Prosecutors said he had ropes and zip ties on him, and investigators found body cameras, a computer and a tablet.

Paul Pelosi also testified at the trial and recalled how he was woken up by a large man who stormed into the bedroom and asked, “Where’s Nancy?” He said when he answered that his wife was in Washington, DePape said, he would tie him up while they waited for her.

“It was a huge shock when I realized someone had broken into the house and when I looked at him and looked at the hammer and cable ties I realized I was in serious danger so I tried to be as calm as possible “It’s possible to stay,” Pelosi told the jury.

Pelosi suffered two head wounds in the attack, including a fractured skull that was repaired with plates and screws that he will wear for the rest of his life. His right arm and hand were also injured.

DePape also faces charges in state court of assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, residential burglary and other crimes. Jury selection for this trial is expected to begin May 22.