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David DePaap, who is serving a 30-year sentence in federal prison for attacking former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, will be eligible for parole after being sentenced on Tuesday on state charges, according to multiple reports. He was sentenced to life in prison without sex.
A San Francisco jury convicted DePape of kidnapping and robbery earlier this year.
San Francisco Chronicle (via Getty Images)
important facts
DePaap, 44, was sentenced by a San Francisco jury earlier this year to five counts of aggravated kidnapping resulting in bodily harm or death, false imprisonment of an elderly or dependent adult, intimidation of a public servant’s family, and first-degree burglary. He was convicted of two state crimes. Obstructing or dissuading a witness by force or intimidation.
One of DePaap’s lawyers, Adam Lipson, asked Judge Harry Dorfman to consider DePaap’s mental health before sentencing and said DePaap had used online propaganda before attacking Paul Pelosi in October 2022. The Associated Press reported that this suggested that he was susceptible to the influence of
Paul Pelosi called for DePape to receive the maximum sentence, saying he had not yet experienced a “peaceful sleep” since he “invaded my home.”
Dorfman rejected a request from DePape’s lawyers for a new trial.
This is a developing story.
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What to watch out for
DePaap’s attorney reportedly said he would appeal the state charges, arguing that his double conviction amounted to double jeopardy. This is a Fifth Amendment provision that prohibits a person from being prosecuted twice for the same crime.
Main background
On October 28, 2022, DePape entered Pelosi’s home in San Francisco and attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer. Paul Pelosi suffered a skull fracture and multiple hand injuries. DePerp reportedly planned to wear a unicorn costume at a federal trial to question then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi about what he believed to be a government plot against former President Donald Trump. He is said to have testified. DePape was found guilty in November of assaulting a family member of a federal employee and attempting to kidnap a federal employee, and was subsequently sentenced to 30 years in federal prison in May.
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