New video shows hammer attack on Paul Pelosi and suspect breaking into San Francisco home

Video released Friday morning by a San Francisco court shows the man alleged to have attacked former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband Paul with a hammer, providing a chilling new look at the savage, politically-driven assault that shook the nation.

A state court judge ordered the release of the police body-camera video and of 911 calls to the public earlier this week.

David DePape of Richmond is accused of bludgeoning Paul Pelosi with a hammer in late October after allegedly breaking into the couple’s San Francisco home seeking to kidnap Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, who was House Speaker at the time and thus second in the line of presidential succession.

Police body-camera video shows officers — responding to a 911 call from Paul Pelosi made from a bathroom after DePape allegedly broke in — arriving at the Pelosi home and using the knocker on the white door to call for someone to answer.

The door opens to a view of Paul Pelosi in a collared shirt and underwear, and a man later identified as DePape in blue sweatshirt and shorts, both holding onto a hammer with their right hands. DePape appears to be pulling the hammer away from Pelosi.

“What’s going on?” an officer asks.

“Everything’s good,” DePape replies.

An officer commands, “Drop the hammer,” DePape responds, “Um, nope.”

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED: Video contains graphic content.

Almost immediately after an officer says, “What is going on right here?” DePape yanks the hammer away from Paul Pelosi, who abruptly lurches backward away from DePape. DePape swings the hammer back and then launches a savage overhand swing, the impact taking place outside the camera’s view.

In a chaotic scene, the officers pile through the door and wrestle DePape to the ground in an attempt to subdue him. Paul Pelosi lies on the floor unconscious, snoring, with his feet bare, as the officers and DePape struggle just inches away.

Paul Pelosi, 82, underwent surgery to repair multiple skull fractures and was hospitalized for nearly a week after the attack.

Authorities have said believe DePape broke into the Pelosi household shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 28 seeking to kidnap Nancy Pelosi, the then-Speaker of the House and the second person in line for the presidency. He told investigators that he planned to break Nancy Pelosi’s kneecaps and wheel her in front of Congress to deliver a message to lawmakers that their actions carried “consequences” for their actions, prosecutors said at a December preliminary hearing.

But Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, and Paul Pelosi was sleeping in the couple’s bedroom.

A video from outside the couple’s house in the upscale Pacific Heights neighborhood shows DePape arriving onto the back patio in shorts, white high-top sneakers and a sweatshirt. He wanders the yard, peering into windows, before disappearing around a corner, then returning, wearing a very large backpack and carrying a smaller bag.

He pulls up his shorts as he looks at the building, then begins digging into the smaller bag, pulling out a hammer. After rooting through the larger backpack and removing a couple of items, DePape stands, picking up the hammer and putting something in the left pocket of his sweatshirt as he scans the area.

Depape digs deep into the smaller bag and pulls out gloves. As he approaches the house, he pulls a glove onto his left hand, then appears to throw the other glove onto the ground.

He appears to strike the glass patio door of the house with the hammer, pushing it through the glass straight in an attempt to make a hole big enough to reach through. He tries the knob, pushing into the door with his hip to no avail. Then he begins swinging the hammer aggressively at the door, using two-handed overhead chops for about 30 seconds, before he steps through the door, into the house, and disappears from view.

The U.S. Department of Justice has said that after DePape was restrained, officers found a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, a pair of rubber and cloth gloves, and zip ties in his gear.

According to testimony from a San Francisco police investigator, DePape said he expected to be shot dead by police. DePape had made repeated statements to Paul Pelosi and investigators that he had no intention of surrendering.

The attack shook the nation ahead of the November midterm elections, fueled fears of politically motivated violence and led to the spread of misinformation, including by Twitter and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

DePape, court heard in December, planned to target President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and actor Tom Hanks in a suicide mission, according to testimony aired by prosecutors in a San Francisco court.

DePape faces charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon and false imprisonment, and other felonies.

Court records already have detailed how Paul Pelosi called 911 and alerted authorities before abruptly ending the call as his attacker stood nearby, telling dispatchers that “he wants me to get the hell off the phone.”

DePape told police that Paul Pelosi’s call for help had “pushed me into a corner where I have to do something,” according to an interview played by prosecutors during the hearing. “I will not be stopped here,” DePape told investigators while recalling the break-in.

DePape is also facing federal charges of attempted kidnapping of a federal officer and assault of an immediate family member of a federal official. A status conference for the case in U.S. District Court in San Francisco is scheduled for Feb. 8.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/oVnz9Cf