David De Pape, a Canadian citizen, was ordered held without bail during his arraignment Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court. His public defender, Adam Lipson, entered a not guilty plea on his behalf. It was the first public appearance since the early-morning attack on Friday for DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories. In court documents filed Tuesday, prosecutors described the attack in stark terms as part of their effort to keep Depp behind bars. DePape reportedly said he had other targets, including a local teacher as well as several prominent state and federal politicians and their families. “This case warrants remand,” District Attorney Brooke Jenkins wrote in the court filing. “Nothing less.” David Wayne DePape, 42, who is accused of breaking into US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco home and hitting her husband over the head with a hammer, had his arm in a sling as he appeared in Superior Court in San Francisco on Tuesday. (Vicki Behringer/Reuters) The deposition also said that Paul Pelosi was knocked unconscious by the hammer attack and woke up in a pool of his own blood. Wearing orange jail clothes, DePape spoke only to tell Judge Diane Northway how to pronounce his last name. The 42-year-old accused is expected back in court on Friday. After the hearing, Lipson said he looks forward to providing DePape with a “vigorous defense.” He also said he met DePape Monday night for the first time and had not yet seen the police reports. “We’re going to do a full investigation into what happened. We’re going to look at Mr. DePape’s mental state, and I’m not going to talk about it any more until I have more information,” Lipson said. , who noted that being held without bail in state court is a moot point because DePape is also in federal custody in the case. A police officer stands outside the Pelosi home after Friday’s attack. Canadian lawyer David De Pape pleaded not guilty Tuesday during an appearance in San Francisco Superior Court. (Godofredo A. Vásquez/The Associated Press)
shock waves
The Pelosi family had requested a Zoom link so they could watch Tuesday’s proceedings, but the judge said he did not receive the request earlier. The attack on Paul Pelosi shocked the political world just days before the hotly contested midterm elections. Threats against lawmakers and election officials have been high in this first national election since the January 6, 2021 riot on Capitol Hill, and authorities have issued warnings about rising extremism in the U.S. DePape, 42, faces state charges of attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse. He also faces federal charges, including the attempted kidnapping of a US official. Those charges are outlined in an affidavit detailing the assault, which was largely captured on police body camera footage after authorities responded to a 911 call from the Pelosis’ Pacific Heights home. Paul Pelosi Jr. walks outside the Pelosi House on Saturday. His father suffered a fractured skull after being hit with a hammer during an attack. (Jeff Chiu/The Associated Press)
Security protocols reviewed
In Washington, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Munger provided a sobering update Tuesday on security protocols for members of Congress. Munger said that while many improvements have been made since the Capitol attack, including the hiring of nearly 280 officers by the end of this year, “there’s still a lot of work to be done.” “We believe that the current political climate requires more resources to provide additional layers of physical security for members of Congress,” he said. Munger said the attack on Pelosi’s husband was “a disturbing reminder of the dangerous threats facing elected officials and public figures during today’s contentious political climate.” Speaker Pelosi was in Washington at the time and under the protection of her security detail, which does not extend to family members. She quickly returned to San Francisco, where her husband was treated and underwent surgery for a fractured skull and other injuries. She provided a brief update on his condition Monday, saying in a statement that her husband is “making steady progress in what will be a long recovery.”
