Pelosi attack suspect pleads not guilty to federal charges

A man accused of assaulting the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting the federal official’s family.

David DePape, dressed in orange and not handcuffed, was assigned a public defender to plead guilty on his behalf during the brief court appearance.

DePape, 42, who lives in the San Francisco suburb of Richmond, was charged last week with federal charges for breaking into Pelosis’ San Francisco home days before the Oct. 28 midterm elections.

The attack on Paul Pelosi came as threats against lawmakers and election officials have been at an all-time high and authorities have warned of rising extremism in the United States.

DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories, also pleaded not guilty to state charges of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse.

The federal charges include assaulting an immediate family member of a U.S. official with intent to retaliate against the official for performing official duties.

Sentenced to up to 30 years in federal prison.

The second charge alleges that DePape attempted to kidnap a U.S. official in the performance of his duties. This could carry up to 20 years in prison. The indictment accuses DePape of planning to kidnap Nancy Pelosi.

Officials responding to Pelosi’s 911 calls spotted Pelosi and De Pape fighting over a hammer, the indictment said.

It said an officer ordered DePape to drop the hammer, but he replied, “Um, no,” before swinging it hard at Paul Pelosi.

The sequence lasted about 15 seconds, but Pelosi and De Pape lay on the floor, with hematoma around Pelosi’s head, it said. He was treated in hospital for a fractured skull.

Paul Pelosi told 911 dispatchers that he was sleeping when a man he had never seen walked into his bedroom looking for Nancy Pelosi in Washington, D.C.

Officers later found a shattered glass door on the back porch. They recovered a zip tie, a roll of duct tape, white cord, a second hammer and a pair of rubber gloves.

DePape is in state custody without bail.