Pelosi attacker planned to wear unicorn costume and post interrogation online
The man accused of attacking Nancy Pelosi’s husband, has testified for over an hour about his strange and bizarre intentions during the home invasion.
43-year-old, David DePape, shared his fringe political beliefs and plans to wear an inflatable unicorn costume while interrogating the former house speaker. His disturbing testimony shed light on DePape’s motivations and mindset leading up to the incident in October of last year.
DePape, a Canadian citizen with an online history that suggested a fascination with the QAnon conspiracy and support for former President Donald Trump, is charged with assault and kidnapping in the October 2022 attack at the couple’s hilltop home in San Francisco.
According to DePape, his goal was to end corruption in the United States, and he specifically wanted to speak with Pelosi about Russian involvement in the 2016 election. He also planned to upload his interrogation of her online for the world to see.
However, his plan took a violent turn when he unexpectedly encountered Pelosi’s 82-year-old husband, Paul Pelosi, and attacked him with a hammer.
While DePape did not deny attacking Paul Pelosi, his attorneys argue that the charges against him do not fit because he was not targeting Nancy Pelosi due to her role as a member of Congress. Instead, they claim he was seeking to stop government corruption and the abuse of children by politicians and celebrities.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi and husband Paul Pelosi arrive for a State Dinner at the White House on June 22. (AP)
During his testimony, DePape became emotional and cried, stating that his political beliefs shifted to the right after reading a comment on a YouTube video about former President Donald Trump. He also admitted to believing in discredited conspiracy theories, including the baseless claim that the US government is run by devil-worshipping pedophiles.
Despite his disturbing and misguided beliefs, DePape expressed remorse for attacking Paul Pelosi, stating that he was never his intended target.
His defense attorney argued that DePape sincerely believed he was trying to stop corruption and gain a presidential pardon for himself and others, including Nancy Pelosi, Gavin Newsom, Tom Hanks, and Hunter Biden.
David DePape in Berkeley, California, on 13 December 2013. (AP)
On Monday, Paul Pelosi testified before the jury, sharing his traumatic experience of being attacked in his own home. He recounted how DePape burst into his bedroom, asking about his wife’s whereabouts and stating that she was the leader of the pack and needed to be taken out. Pelosi also revealed that he was able to call the police from his cellphone, and when they arrived on the scene, DePape attacked him with a hammer.
DePape’s testimony and Paul Pelosi’s emotional account of the attack paint a disturbing picture of a man driven by extremist beliefs and a desire to harm political figures. If convicted, DePape faces life in prison for attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on a family member.
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The prosecution also revealed DePape’s troubled past, including struggles with drug abuse and mental illness. His ex-girlfriend shared that he had been living in a garage while taking carpentry jobs to support himself. Additionally, he has a history of promoting far-right conspiracy theories and posting unsettling rants online.
In a statement to a San Francisco detective after his arrest, DePape reportedly said he wanted to hold Nancy Pelosi hostage and stated that there would be consequences for her actions.