Pelosi's night of terror
Paul testifies of waking up to invader
Paul Pelosi immediately knew he was “in serious danger” when he woke up to a large, unknown man standing in his bedroom carrying a hammer and zip ties, he testified in San Francisco federal court Monday.
“He was standing in the doorway and I assume he was three, four feet away from me,” Pelosi said at the trial of David DePape, who stands accused of assaulting him.
Pelosi gave his version of events of the harrowing ordeal when DePape, 43, broke into his home shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 28, 2022. He demanded to know the whereabouts of Pelosi’s wife, former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“He said, ‘Where’s Nancy?’ as I think that woke me up,” Pelosi said. “I’m asleep and he bursts in the door and that woke me up.”
Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, DC at the time of the attack.
DePape allegedly later told detectives he had planned to take the former House speaker hostage and “break her kneecaps.”
During the bizarre interaction which followed, Pelosi managed to call 911 and told a dispatcher, “This gentleman just came into the house and wants to wait here until my wife comes home and, anyway, he’s telling me to put the phone down.”
The dispatcher recognized a possible threat and police were sent to the home.
Pelosi said he knew his best chance for survival was to get downstairs and meet the police.
Once they opened the door to officers, DePape seized the hammer and hit Paul with it, bodycam video shows.
FBI Special Agent Stephanie Minor testified on Monday about the video which indicated DePape hit Paul Pelosi at least three times.
Prosecutors also played video footage from police body cameras that showed paramedics helping Pelosi, who was facedown on the floor.
As one paramedic held a white towel against Pelosi’s head, another placed a neck and head brace on the 83-year-old before he was put onto a stretcher chair. His face and hands were covered in blood.
Assistant US Attorney Laura Vartain asked Pelosi what he remembered and he said: “Waking up in a pool of blood.”
Pelosi sustained a fractured skull and suffered serious wounds to his right arm and hands. He was hospitalized for a number of days.
Nancy Pelosi said in January Paul was “making progress, but it’ll take more time,” before he was back to normal. He has since made public appearances alongside her.
‘Targets’
DePape’s defense attorney, Lori Linker, told jurors during her opening statement last week that the jury must think about why her client attacked Pelosi.
She claimed DePape truly believed he was trying to save the world from a secret cabal of highprofile pedophiles.
He also echoed right-wing QAnon conspiracy theories and had a list of “targets,” which included Nancy Pelosi because he believed she was the “face” of the Democratic Party and used mainstream media as her “weapon.” His other intended targets included Tom Hanks, President Biden’s son Hunter and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to court documents obtained by The Post.
DePape is being tried on charges of assaulting the immediate family member of a federal official and the attempted kidnapping of a federal official. He also is facing an attempted murder charge in a separate state case. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.