The man accused of brutally attacking former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer apologized in court Tuesday, sparking conspiracy theories about why he visited the couple’s San Francisco home to end what he sees as government corruption. said.
In remarks that lasted more than an hour, David DePaap tearfully explained how he moved from the political left to the right after reading comments on a YouTube video about former President Donald Trump. .
“As he was breathing on the ground, I really feared for his life,” DePape said in federal court in San Francisco. FOX San Francisco report. “And after the hospital, I felt really bad for him because we had a really good relationship and things were going well until the last moment.”
Prosecutors allege that DePape broke into Nancy Pelosi’s home on the evening of October 28, 2022, trying to find her. On Monday, Paul Pelosi testified that DePape repeatedly asked him where his wife was.
Paul Pelosi’s assailant David DePape appears in California court as trial jury selection begins
A courtroom sketch depicting the trial of David DePaap held Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco, California. Mr. Depape became emotional during cross-examination by his defense attorney. (Vicky Bellinger)
“The door opened and a big guy came in with a hammer in one hand and a tie in the other and said, ‘Where’s Nancy?’ I think that woke me up,” Pelosi said. Told. “I was sleeping and he burst in the door and woke me up.”
“I realized that someone had broken into my house and I was in great shock. I looked at that person, I saw the hammer and the tie, and I knew I was in grave danger. So I tried to stay as calm as possible. “I tried to do that,” he said. .
DePape plans to visit Nancy Pelosi’s home to talk to her about Russia’s involvement in the 2016 election, then upload his interrogation of her online while wearing an inflatable unicorn costume. he said.
Paul Pelosi called the police during the home invasion, but when officers arrived, DePape hit Pelosi with a hammer.
DePape, 43, said he felt sorry for Pelosi after hearing testimony from the neurosurgeon who operated on her after the attack, including a fractured skull that had to be repaired with plates and screws. He testified that Pelosi had two wounds on her head. Pelosi also required stitches for injuries to his right arm and hand.
Paul Pelosi testifies at trial of man accused of brutal attack with hammer inside home
A courtroom sketch depicting the trial of David DePaap held Tuesday in federal court in San Francisco, California. DePape testifies while being shown the hammer allegedly used to attack Paul Pelosi. (Vicky Bellinger)
“He was never my target and it’s unfortunate that he got hurt,” DePape said. Asked why he attacked Pelosi, he said: “I reacted because my plan was basically ruined.”
DePape testified that she first became attracted to the conspiracy after learning about Gamergate, an online harassment campaign against women in the video gaming community that took place about 10 years ago. He said he often played video games for up to six hours a day while listening to political podcasts.
He said he believes news organizations have repeatedly lied about former President Trump, citing CNN in particular. DePaap also echoed baseless rhetoric, including the QAnon conspiracy theory that the U.S. government is run by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophiles, but he did not address that on Tuesday.
He said other targets include a professor of women’s and homosexuality studies at the University of Michigan, California Governor Gavin Newsom, actor Tom Hanks and President Joe Biden’s son Hunter. He told jurors he learned about the professor while listening to conservative commentator James Lindsay.
“The lesson I learned is that she is trying to turn our school into a pedophile sexual abuse factory,” said Despape, a Canadian national who immigrated to the United States more than 20 years ago. Ta.
An unidentified professor testified that some of her writings have been misconstrued as fitting into a narrative against the gay movement. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Coley ordered her name to be kept from public records, citing threats against her.
Asked by DePaap’s lawyer whether he supported child abuse, the professor replied, “Absolutely not.”
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She said she was informed by the FBI that she was DePap’s main target after Paul Pelosi was attacked. She said she informed her university administration, who took steps to protect her, her students and other staff.
Other witnesses included Daniel Bernal, Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco chief of staff, and DePerp’s neighbor Elizabeth Yates, who told Pelosi to shower once a week at her home. He said he gave permission.
Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday. If convicted, Depapes could face life in prison.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
