Moments later – after being told to drop his weapon – DePape suddenly attacked Mr. Pelosi before being wrestled to the ground by officers. The entire incident was recorded on the officers’ body cameras.
In addition to suffering a fractured skull, Mr. Pelosi also suffered injuries to his arms and hands. He was hit three times during the attack.
In a letter filed before sentencing, Pelosi urged the court to give DePape a “very long” sentence, adding that she and her husband were never able to discuss the case.
“Paul and I have not discussed the events of that terrible night,” she wrote. “Paul does not want to revisit it, and the doctors’ advice is that discussing the brutal assault will only further traumatize him.”
During the trial, Mr. Pelosi testified that DePape said his plan was to “take down” Ms. Pelosi, whom he called “the leader of the group.”
“It was a terrible shock looking at him, looking at the gavel and the ties,” Mr. Pelosi recalled. “I realized I was in serious danger. I tried to stay as calm as possible.”
After the attack, Mr. Pelosi said his next memory was of waking up in a “puddle of blood” and being taken to the hospital.
In a letter to the court before sentencing, Mr. Pelosi said he was still struggling with the effects of the attack.
“I walk slowly and have trouble keeping my balance. I get headaches almost every day that turn into migraines unless resolved quickly,” he wrote. “I need to sleep during the day and can’t stand bright lights or loud noises for long periods of time.”
DePape’s court-appointed attorney, Jodi Linker, argued that her client was motivated by right-wing conspiracy theories, which the defendant believes “with every ounce of his being.”
However, prosecutors argued that DePape had a “violent plan,” noting that he told investigators he had a “target list” and planned to break his kneecap. Mrs. Pelosi’s tea if she does not reveal the “truth”. At the time of his arrest, DePape had zip ties and duct tape.
Outside court, DePape’s son told reporters that his father’s prison sentence was equivalent to a death sentence.
“I think it’s a really long time, because if you think about it, he’s almost 50 years old,” Sky Gonzalez said, according to the Associated Press. “It’s basically just a death sentence.”
In addition to the federal charges, DePape also faces other state charges stemming from the attack. They include burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and attempted murder.
He faces life in prison if convicted of those charges. He has pleaded not guilty.
