SAN FRANCISCO –
The man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home, beating her husband and trying to kidnap her told police he was on a “suicide mission” and had plans to attack other politicians. federal and California federal agencies, according to a Tuesday court filing.
David DePape was ordered held without bond during his arraignment Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court. His public defender pleaded not guilty on his behalf. It was the first public appearance since the attack early Friday by DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories.
In court documents filed Tuesday, prosecutors detailed the attack in stark terms as part of their attempt to keep DePape behind bars. Paul Pelosi was knocked unconscious by the hammer attack and woke up in a pool of his own blood, according to the document.
DePape allegedly said he had other targets, including a local professor, as well as several prominent state and federal politicians, and members of their families.
“This case calls for detention,” Jenkins wrote in the court filing. “Nothing less.”
Wearing orange jail clothes, DePape spoke only to tell Judge Diane Northway how to pronounce his last name (dih-PAP’). The 42-year-old defendant is scheduled to return to court on Friday.
After the hearing, DePape’s public defender, Adam Lipson, said he hopes to provide DePape with a “strong defense.” He also said that he met DePape Monday night for the first time and that he had not yet seen the police reports.
“We are going to do a thorough investigation of what happened. We’re going to look into Mr. DePape’s mental state, and I’m not going to talk about that anymore until he has more information,” said Lipson, who noted that a state court no-bail order is moot. point because DePape has also been placed on federal hold in the case.
He later said he was pleased that Pelosi was getting better and hoped for a full recovery, adding that he urged the public “not to judge what he called a complicated situation.”
“From experience, I can say that there is always more to the story than is initially reported,” he said, noting that “there are a lot of rumors and speculation about this incident that will need to be resolved in court once we review the case.” evidence.”
“Mr. DePape is entitled to a vigorous legal defense, and we intend to give him one,” he added.
He also said that DePape’s shoulder was dislocated during his arrest and that he was wearing a sling under his prison clothes during the hearing.
The Pelosi family had asked for a Zoom link so they could view Tuesday’s proceedings, but the judge said she did not receive the request ahead of time.
The attack on Paul Pelosi, 82, shocked the political world just days before the hotly contested midterm elections. Threats against lawmakers and election officials have reached record highs in this first national election since the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection on Capitol Hill, and authorities have issued warnings about the rise of extremism in the US.
DePape faces state charges of attempted murder, robbery and elder abuse. He also faces federal charges including attempted kidnapping of a US official. Those charges are outlined in an affidavit detailing the assault, which was captured largely on police body camera footage after authorities responded to a 911 call from Pelosis’ Pacific Heights home.
In Washington, US Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger provided a sobering update Tuesday on security protocols for members of Congress.
Manger said that while many improvements have been made since the attack on Capitol Hill, including the hiring of nearly 280 officers by the end of this year, “there is still a lot of work to be done.”
“We believe that the current political climate calls for more resources to provide additional layers of physical security for members of Congress,” he said.
Manger said the attack on Pelosi’s husband was “an alarming reminder of the dangerous threats facing elected officials and public figures during the current contentious political climate.”
Speaker Pelosi was in Washington at the time and under the protection of her security team, which does not extend to family members. She quickly returned to San Francisco, where her husband was hospitalized and underwent surgery for a fractured skull and other injuries.
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said the assault on Paul Pelosi appeared to be premeditated and called on Americans to “tone down” political rhetoric.
During a news conference after the arraignment hearing, Jenkins said his office will not release the 911 recording and police body camera footage unless it is presented at trial.
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Mascaro reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles and Michael Balsamo in Washington contributed.