Video released publicly Friday shows the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fighting with his assailant for control of a hammer moments before he was struck during a brutal attack in the couple’s San Francisco home last year.
The body-camera footage shows suspect David DePape wrest the tool from 82-year-old Paul Pelosi and lunge toward him with the hammer over his head. The blow to Pelosi occurs out of view of the camera and the officers — one of them cursing — rush into the house and jump on DePape.
Pelosi, apparently unconscious, can be seen lying face down on the floor in his pajama top and underwear. Officials later said he woke up in a pool of his own blood.
Newly release video of the attack on Paul Pelosi shows a struggle for a hammer
The release comes after a coalition of news agencies, including The Associated Press, sought access to the evidence that prosecutors played in open court last month. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office had refused to make the exhibits available to journalists.
A state court judge Wednesday ruled there was no reason to keep the video secret.
The evidence includes portions of Paul Pelosi’s 911 call on Oct. 28. As well as video images from Capitol police surveillance cameras. A body camera worn by one of the two police officers who arrive at the house and a nearly 18-minute audio recording from DePape’s interview with police.
Newly release video of the attack on Paul Pelosi shows a struggle for a hammer
The Capitol Police video shows DePape walk up to a glass-panel door, leave and then return wearing a large backpack and carrying two other bags. He set all the items down and pulle out a hammer. Pausing to put on gloves. Use it to smash the door glass so he could step through an opening.
DePape has pleaded not guilty in ongoing state and federal cases. He is being held in jail without bail. He faces charges including attempte murder. Assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official.
The San Francisco public defender’s office, which is representing DePape, 43, said they planne to issue a statement later Friday.
Members of Congress have face a sharp rise in threats in the two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
During the Jan. 6 attack, rioters chanted menacingly for the speaker as they rampage through the halls trying to halt certification of Joe Biden’s victory over Donald Trump in the presidential election. One man was convicted this week of eight criminal counts after he put his feet. A desk in Pelosi’s office and left a note to her punctuate with a sexist expletive.
Paul Pelosi was asleep at the couple’s home when DePape allegedly broke in. Nancy Pelosi was in Washington at the time and under the protection of her security detail. Which does not extend to family members.
Her husband of nearly 60 years later underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands. He has since appeared in public wearing a hat and a glove that covered his wounds.
Nancy Pelosi on Thursday told reporters her husband’s well-being was paramount. She did not know if she would view the video once it was release.
I don’t even know if I will see that,” she said. „I mean, it would be a very hard thing to see an assault on my husband’s life, but I don’t know.”
San Francisco Officer Kolby Wilmes’ body-camera video begins with officers approaching the brick home and rapping on the door. It takes about 20 seconds for the door to open and during that time, the officers discuss whether they have the right house.
When the door opens, Paul Pelosi says, „Hi, guys, how are you?”
Both men are facing the officers at the door. Initially, the hammer is in the shadows and it takes about five seconds before a flashlight shows DePape holding the handle of a hammer with his right hand and clutching Pelosi’s right hand, which is gripping around the hammer head, with his left hand. The struggle is not apparent in the first few seconds.
DePape says no and begins to pull it from Pelosi’s grip. Pelosi says, „Hey, hey.”
DePape wins control of the hammer and winds up with his right and delivers a vicious overhand blow as Pelosi disappears out of view and officers rush in. The officers called for backup as they struggled with DePape and Pelosi was lying on the ground.
