UPDATE (11/3/2021 @ 6:30 p.m. EST): Paul Pelosi, 82, has been released from Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. The discharge comes after six days in the Intensive Care Unit and suffering a fractured skull in a vicious attack, per the New York Times.
David DePape, 42, who broke into Nancy Pelosi‘s San Francisco home and attacked her husband, Paul, 82, with a hammer, wanted to “break her kneecaps” and hold her hostage, according to new court documents obtained by The Daily Mail. David also reportedly wanted to cause this particular harm to the Speaker of The House in order to “show other Members of Congress there were consequences to actions” and to potentially “lure” someone else to him using Nancy, Fox News reports. David told authorities that he saw Nancy, 82, as the “‘leader of the pack’ of lies told by the Democratic Party” and if she were to tell the “truth” she would have been set free.
The 42-year-old is currently facing federal charges and up to 50 years in prison, per the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California, via Fox News. “DePape is charged with one count of assault of an immediate family member of a United States official with the intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison,” the official office said in a statement on Oct. 31. “DePape is also charged with one count of attempted kidnapping of a United States official on account of the performance of official duties, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.”
At the scene, officials found that David had “zip ties, tape, rope, and at least one hammer with him.” Inside his backpack, San Francisco Police officials also found “a roll of tape, white rope, one hammer, one pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and a journal.” David was adamant about wanting to “sit and wait” for Nancy’s arrival, despite Paul’s reassurance that she was not home and would not be for several days. Although the perpetrator had attempted to tie Paul up with the zip ties, the 82-year-old was able to call 911 while in the bathroom.
Thank you for your prayers for my husband and our family. -NP pic.twitter.com/tL8h8W0eUM
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) October 30, 2022
When the police responded to the call around 2.31 AM, David and Paul were both holding onto a hammer with one hand, and when the police asked them to drop the hammer that was when David “pulled” the hammer from Paul’s grasp. He “swung” the object and struck Paul in the head, the documents state that Paul “appeared to be unconscious on the ground” by this point. Finally, the officers were able to successfully restrain David and remove him from the Pelosi’s residence.
Following the violent attack, Nancy took to Twitter on Oct. 29 to make an official statement and update everyone on her husband’s condition. “Our children, our grandchildren and I are heartbroken and traumatized by the life-threatening attack on our Pop,” she wrote. She then went on to say Paul is “continuing to recover,” while she thanked emergency services for their help. “Thank you for your prayers for my husband and our family. -NP,” the tweet also read. Nancy and Paul have been married since 1963 and share five children: Alexandra, 52, Paul Jr., 53, Christine, 56, Nancy Corrine, 58, and Jacqueline Pelosi.