Man Sentenced To Life Without Parole For Attacking Pelosi's Husband

FILE – David DePape, who bludgeoned Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer, is seen, Dec. 13, 2013, in Berkeley, Calif. (Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, File)

A man who was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for attacking the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer in their California home has now been given a life term without the possibility of parole following a separate state trial. The San Francisco jury found the man guilty of charges including aggravated kidnapping, first-degree burglary, and false imprisonment of an elder.

The judge rejected defense attorneys' arguments for a new state trial and sentenced the man to life for the kidnapping conviction. The victim, Paul Pelosi, who was 82 at the time of the attack, suffered head wounds, including a skull fracture that required medical intervention.

During the sentencing, the judge expressed no sympathy for the defendant, emphasizing the impact of the violent attack on the victim. The defendant, dressed in prison attire, made unconventional statements in court, including claims about conspiracy theories and psychic abilities.

The victim's daughter read a letter in court detailing the traumatic experience her father endured during the attack. The Pelosi family expressed relief at the sentencing, stating that legal justice had been served and emphasizing the importance of condemning political violence against elected officials and their families.

San Francisco jury finds man guilty of aggravated kidnapping and other charges.

Man sentenced to life without parole for attacking Pelosi's husband.

Judge rejects defense's request for new trial, sentences man to life for kidnapping.

The defendant had previously been convicted in federal court for assaulting a federal official's family member and attempting to kidnap a federal official. He received a 30-year sentence in federal prison for those charges.

The defense argued against the state trial, citing double jeopardy concerns, but the judge upheld the state charges that were not covered by the federal case. The attack, captured on police body camera video, occurred just days before the midterm elections and drew widespread attention.

In a statement, the prosecutors acknowledged the seriousness of the defendant's actions and the harm inflicted on the victim, emphasizing that there are no winners in such cases. The defense plans to appeal the ruling, calling the outcome a tragic end to a tragic story.