Paul Pelosi told a Federal jury David DePape told him he wanted to “take out” his wife Nancy Pelosi when he broke into their home in the night last year.

In a federal courtroom in San Francisco, Paul Pelosi, the 83-year-old husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, testified publicly for the first time about the attack that occured last year. The assault left him hospitalized for days with a cracked skull and unfolded during a seemingly ordinary evening while his wife was away.

On the witness stand, Mr. Pelosi recounted the terrifying intrusion into his third-floor bedroom, where he was confronted by a large man wielding a hammer and ties. The assailant, later identified as David DePape, demanded to know the whereabouts of Nancy Pelosi, expressing an intention to harm her.

DePape is charged with 18 U.S.C. § 1201(d), Attempted Kidnapping of Federal Officer or Employee and 8 U.S.C. § 115(a)(1)(A), Assault on the Immediate Family Member of a Federal Official. He has pled not guilty.  If convicted, he faces life in prison.

During the trial, Mr. Pelosi revealed that DePape had informed him that Nancy Pelosi was perceived as a leader of a supposed cabal of liberal elites seeking to curtail people’s freedoms. DePape claimed he had a mission to capture and interrogate her, even mentioning a desire to “break her kneecaps.”

Despite the traumatic nature of the incident, Mr. Pelosi maintained composure as he detailed the events, reserving a shaky voice for discussions about the lingering trauma. He admitted to avoiding reliving the experience, refraining from listening to the 911 call or watching the presented videos. Mr. Pelosi emphasized that, apart from discussions with prosecutors, he had not shared details about the incident due to its profound impact on his family.

Providing a chronological account of the early morning hours on October 28, 2022, Mr. Pelosi described the intruder’s entry into his bedroom, his discreet 911 call from the bathroom, and the subsequent police confrontation where DePape allegedly struck him with a hammer.

The defense for David DePape has indicated they will not contest the evidence. DePape, who admitted to the crimes in interviews with the police, asserted a motivation beyond official duties, claiming to target a broader conspiracy involving liberal figures linked to pedophilia, corruption, and the erosion of freedom in America.

The prosecution presented law enforcement officers and a Capitol Police supervisor as witnesses, emphasizing DePape’s pre-attack search for Nancy Pelosi’s address.

The trial is set to continue with the defense’s case, and the case is expected to go to the jury by the end of the week.

The Federal trial is pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The case is United States v. David Wayne DePape, Docket # 22-CR-00426-JSC-1, and is pending before Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley.