David DePape, a 43-year-old man with a qathet region connection, has been found guilty in a United States federal court of trying to kidnap former US house speaker Nancy Pelosi and assaulting her husband Paul with a hammer.
According to a Los Angeles Times account of the San Francisco court hearing, the jury of 10 men and two women spent a day deliberating two federal charges before reaching a verdict. DePape, who has not been sentenced, faces up to 50 years in prison. DePape still faces state charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and threats to a public official and their family, according to the Los Angeles Times.
DePape was identified by police on October 28, 2022, as the suspect in the assault on Pelosi at the family’s San Francisco home.
David’s stepfather Gene DePape, who was reached after the verdict, said he was disappointed with the outcome. He added that David did not go to Pelosi's to kill anyone.
A call was also placed by the Peak to Gene, who lives and works in the qathet region, last year after the incident. Gene said then that he had not talked with David since 2003 and his last contact with him was when he tried to call in 2007.
“His ex-wife hung up on me and said he didn’t want to talk with anyone from his family,” said Gene at the time. “Before that, the last time I saw him was 2003 and all was good.
“He was always a little reclusive but never in any trouble. He was never violent so this is out of character for him.”
Gene said that David only lived in the Powell River area for a few years, from 1994 to 1997, or the spring of 1998.
Gene, in the interview with the Peak, after the Pelosi incident in 2022, said he had tried to contact the San Francisco Police Department and was told he could not speak to David. Gene then said he was concerned for David’s children.
According to a CNN account, Gene stated that David grew up in Powell River and left Canada about 20 years prior to pursue a relationship that brought him to California.
David, according to CNN, had extensive social media posts, including Facebook, which took down the account. The Facebook account apparently had links that David had posted with links to videos about the 2020 US election, and websites claiming COVID-19 vaccines were deadly, according to CNN.
CNN also stated that David had posted links to YouTube videos regarding the January 6, 2021, riot on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
San Francisco police chief William Scott spoke to reporters on October 28, 2022, and according to a C-SPAN video on YouTube, the following statement was made: “At approximately 2:27 this morning, San Francisco police officers were dispatched to the residence of speaker Nancy Pelosi regarding a priority well-being check. When the officers arrived on scene, they encountered an adult male and Mrs. Pelosi’s husband Paul.
“Our officers observed Mr. Pelosi and the suspect both holding a hammer. The suspect pulled the hammer away from Mr. Pelosi and violently assaulted him with it. Our officers immediately tackled the suspect, disarmed him, took him into custody, requested emergency backup and rendered medical aid.
“The suspect has been identified as David DePape. Mr. Pelosi and Mr. DePape were transported to a local hospital for treatment. This is an active investigation currently being led by the San Francisco Police Department special investigations division. We are working closely with our partners from the FBI, the US Attorney’s Office, the US Capitol Police, and our district attorney here in San Francisco County and her team.”
“The motive for this attack is still being determined. Mr. DePape will be booked at the San Francisco County Jail on the following charges: attempted homicide, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, burglary, and several other additional felonies.”
DePape, after being arrested, was ordered to be held without bail.
Last year Gene thanked the people and businesses in the qathet region for the ongoing support that had been received in difficult times.
“Sometimes we have no say in what happens,” added Gene. “We just deal with the fallout.”
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