It's a second guilty verdict for David DePape, the man who attacked Paul Pelosi two years ago who was earlier convicted in federal court, and he is likely to spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
DePape, 44, was found guilty Friday by a San Francisco jury, following three days of deliberations, of five felony counts — aggravated kidnapping, false imprisonment, threatening a public official, burglary, and preventing or dissuading a witness by force or threat. The judge in the case earlier dismissed charges of attempted murder, elder abuse, and assault with a deadly weapon, with the defense arguing that DePape had already been convicted of similar charges in federal court.
As KTVU reports, the jury had been deliberating since Tuesday.
At a press conference Friday, SF District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said that DePape is facing a sentence of life without parole. As CNN reports, Jenkins pushed back on defense attorney Adam Lipson, who told reporters that this was a "textbook vindictive prosecution," and that given DePape's documented mental illness, "It’s really unfortunate he was charged this way."
Jenkins said DePape was charged "with what he was guilty of," and she said, "there is no need for any accusations of vindictive prosecution." She added, "We are simply trying to do our jobs to make sure he was held accountable for every act that occurred that night that was criminal."
Last month, he was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on the immediate family member of a federal official.
The Pelosi family put out a statement Friday thanking the public for their thoughts and prayers. "Speaker Pelosi and her family remain in awe of their Pop’s bravery, which shone through again on the witness stand in this trial just as it did when he saved his own life on the night of the attack. For nearly 20 grueling months, Mr. Pelosi has demonstrated extraordinary courage and fortitude every day of his recovery."
DePape offered an apology at his federal sentencing, and said, "I will never do anything violent like that ever again."
Investigators found that DePape had been radicalized on the internet and believed in a varied web of conspiracy theories that vilified Democrats. The night he broke into the Pelosis' Pacific Heights home, October 28, 2022, DePape was asking "Where's Nancy?", and he told investigators that he was planning to confront the former House Speaker about "her lies," and wanted to "break her kneecaps" if she did not admit to them.
He also reportedly had a list of targets whom he intended to confront and/or assault. These included the actor Tom Hanks, Governor Gavin Newsom, and his ex-partner Gypsy Taub.
Previously: San Francisco Judge Dismisses Attempted Murder, Assault Charges In Pelosi Attacker Case