San Francisco, CA – San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced today that her office secured a conviction of David DePape (44), of Berkeley, California, after a trial by jury for brutally attacking Speaker Emerita Pelosi’s husband in their home.  Mr. DePape was convicted of aggravated kidnapping (Pen. Code, 209, subd. (a), first degree residential burglary (Pen. Code, section 459), false imprisonment of an elder by violence or menace (Pen. Code, section 368, subd. (f), threatening the life of a family member of a public official (Pen. Code, section 76, subd. (a)) and dissuading a witness by force or threat (Pen. Code, section 136.1, subd. (c)(1)).  The jury also found true allegations that Mr. DePape inflicted great bodily injury (Pen. Code, section 12022.7, subd. (c)) and personally used a deadly or dangerous weapon (Pen. Code, section 12022, subd. (b)(1)) during the commission of his crimes. 

“I would like to thank the jury for their service,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins.  “The jury’s verdict delivers justice and ensures that Mr. DePape will face consequences for his heinous crimes against the Pelosi family and our democracy.  I would like to thank all of the law enforcement agencies that collaborated with us to ensure that justice was done.  I would also like to thank the family for their courage and resilience.  I hope that this verdict brings them a measure of closure as they continue to heal from this tragic ordeal.” 

According to the evidence and testimony presented at trial, on October 28, 2022, Mr. DePape was arrested by San Francisco Police after breaking into the home of then Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi and brutally attacking her husband.  Mr. DePape attacked Mr. Pelosi with a hammer, fracturing his skull and causing serious injuries to his right arm and hands.  Mr. Pelosi did not know the attacker nor had ever seen him before.  Then Speaker Pelosi, DePape’s intended target, was not in the home at the time of the incident. 

The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Phoebe Maffei and Sean Connolly, with assistance from the Writs and Appeals unit, the District Attorney Investigators team as well as paralegals Yessenia Oropeza, Tony Yu, Jessica Diamond, and Julio Flores Guzman. Deputy Chief of Victim Services Prisicilla Portillo worked closely with the victim and his family throughout the pendency of this case.  The case was successfully prosecuted based on a thorough investigation by the San Francisco Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“We are grateful for the jury’s service on a difficult case involving issues important to a functioning democracy,” said Assistant District Attorneys Phoebe Maffei and Sean Connolly. “The jury’s verdict reflects the gravity of Mr. DePape’s terrifying attack on Mr. Pelosi and our democracy.”

Mr. DePape is currently in custody.  Sentencing will be scheduled at a later date. 

Court Number: 22012966