Federal grand jury indicts suspect in Paul Pelosi attack

A federal grand jury has indicted the suspect in the violent attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), on charges of assault and attempted kidnapping.

Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, D.C., when the suspect, 42-year-old California man David DePape, allegedly broke into the Speaker’s San Francisco home and attacked 82-year-old Paul Pelosi with a hammer. 

DePape told authorities that he entered the Pelosis’ home on a “suicide mission,” looking for the Speaker with intent to kidnap her, hold her hostage and break “her kneecaps” if she “lied.” 

According to the indictment, officers found tape, rope, zip ties, a second hammer and a pair of rubber and cloth gloves on DePape’s person when he was arrested at the scene. 

Paul Pelosi underwent surgery for a skull fracture and significant injuries to his right arm and hands and was released from the hospital last week.

DePape is charged with attempting to kidnap a U.S. official and assaulting an immediate family member of a U.S. official “with intent to retaliate against the official on account of the performance of official duties,” according to the Justice Department.

If convicted, DePape faces a 20-year maximum prison sentence for the attempted kidnapping and a 30-year maximum prison sentence for the assault.