San Francisco authorities launch footage from assault on Paul Pelosi

San Francisco authorities on Friday launched video footage of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi being struck by an intruder’s hammer.

A screenshot from a police physique digicam video exhibits David DePape holding onto Paul Pelosi, the husband of then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, within the couple’s home on October 28, 2022, in San Francisco. (Photo: Reuters)

By Reuters: San Francisco authorities launched video footage on Friday of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul Pelosi, being struck by an intruder’s hammer as police rushed into their house to cease the assault.

The police body-worn digicam footage of the Oct. 28 violence was launched alongside a surveillance video displaying the alleged attacker, David DePape, 42, smashing by a glass window to get into the couple’s San Francisco house, in addition to a 911 name from a distressed Paul Pelosi, who was speaking to the dispatcher with DePape apparently beside him.

In the body-cam footage, two law enforcement officials knock on the door of the Pelosis’ house. When it opens, Pelosi and DePape can each be seen clutching a big hammer.

DePape tells law enforcement officials, “Everything’s good,” at which level the officers instruct him to drop the hammer.

DePape then seems to tear the hammer totally away from Pelosi, who’s in sleep put on, earlier than placing him with a robust overhand blow. The two officers then cost inside – considered one of them shouting an expletive – tackling DePape, after which calling for back-up and medics.

Pelosi, mendacity nonetheless, may be seen partially below the physique of DePape, who’s being restrained by the officers.

San Francisco Deputy Public Defender Adam Lipson, who represents DePape, known as the discharge of the proof a “terrible mistake.” In an announcement, he mentioned: “The footage is inflammatory and could feed unfounded theories about this case, and we are extremely concerned about Mr. DePape’s ability to get a fair trial.”

DePape has been indicted on federal tried kidnapping and assault costs. He has pleaded not responsible to state costs of tried homicide, assault with a lethal weapon, housebreaking, elder abuse, false imprisonment and threatening a public official.

The assailant had been in search of Nancy Pelosi and needed to attend for her to return to the home, Paul Pelosi mentioned.

The assault shocked Washington and renewed issues a few breakdown in civility and an increase in political violence.

It additionally highlighted the constraints of the U.S. Capitol Police (USCP), which is charged with defending Congress and the representatives who serve in it.

Many USCP officers had been injured through the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol, when rioters burst by safety boundaries, with some making it clear that they had been on the lookout for Nancy Pelosi.

‘SURVIVOR’S GUILT’

In a Nov. 17 interview with reporters after she introduced she wouldn’t search re-election to a Democratic management place, Pelosi described the severity of her husband’s accidents and the “traumatic effect” of the intrusion.

“If he had fallen or slipped on the ice in an accident and hit his head, it would be horrible. But to have it be an assault on him because they were looking for me is really – call it survivor’s guilt or something. But the traumatic effect on him, this happened in our house, in our home, a crime scene,” Pelosi mentioned.

After the assault, Pelosi underwent emergency surgical procedure for his wounds, which included a fractured cranium. He was launched from the hospital a number of days later however is experiencing an extended restoration course of.

While many politicians condemned the assault in San Francisco, some Republicans made gentle of the incident, which additionally spawned quite a few unfounded, on-line conspiracy theories.

During the 911 name, Paul Pelosi appears to speak his misery obliquely in order to not provoke DePape, however grows more and more direct over the course of the roughly three-minute dialog.

At one level, he requested if anybody from the U.S. Capitol Police was close by. Speaker Pelosi was not in San Francisco on the time.

After saying, “I’ve got a problem, but he (DePape) thinks everything is good,” the dispatcher says he ought to name again if the necessity arises.

At that time Pelosi responds: “No, no, no, this gentleman just came into the house, and he wants to wait for my wife to come home.”

He tells the dispatcher he doesn’t know DePape, although DePape identifies himself as a “friend.”

Toward the top of the decision, Pelosi says: “He wants me to get the hell off the phone. Okay?”

Posted By:

Manisha Pandey

Published On:

Jan 28, 2023