A judge in San Francisco has ordered the release of information about Paul Pelosi’s attack, including police body camera footage that was purportedly aired in court and showed the suspect hitting Pelosi with a hammer.
CBS Sacramento reported that the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office must reveal 911 phone conversations, home video surveillance, and police body camera footage from the attack on Paul Pelosi after a court denied prosecutors’ attempt to keep it hidden.
Judge Stephen Murphy of the San Francisco Superior Court also decided that audio records of a police interview with the alleged attacker, David DePape, must be made public. When the evidence is to be released is unknown.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Adam Lipson, DePape’s defense attorney, opposed the publication of the evidence because it may compromise his client’s right to a fair trial. DePape is suspected of entering Pelosi’s house on October 28 and brutally attacking the 82-year-old husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi with a hammer.
State and federal authorities have filed multiple charges against DePape, 42, including attempted murder. DePape has entered a not-guilty plea and may face life imprisonment if found guilty.
A coalition of News Organizations filed a Requested the Publication of Evidence. The verdict regarding the release of evidence to the public was rendered on Wednesday. The consortium of news organizations filed a court action in San Francisco earlier in January to gain access to the material, arguing that the public and press have a right to access court records.
The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office presented audio and video evidence against DePape on December 14 but declined to make it public.
As part of the evidence, the preliminary hearing for DePape’s case on December 14 included the recording of Pelosi’s 911 call, police bodycam footage, an interview with DePape, and surveillance camera footage from Capitol Police.
The hammer DePape reportedly used in the attack was also presented in court. Security footage in court purportedly showed DePape striking the glass with the hammer over a dozen times before entering Pelosi’s home. DePape is suspected of breaking the glass door of Pelosi’s Pacific Heights house at 2:00 a.m. on October 28 and then carrying out the vicious assault.
Visual Testimony
According to court records, once DePape reportedly entered the residence by breaking a window, he awoke Paul Pelosi, who was sleeping in bed. Then, DePape inquired where his wife, Nancy Pelosi, was, and he responded that he did not know where Nancy Pelosi was, so DePape stated he would wait, according to court filings.
Police Lt. Carla Hurley, who interrogated DePape on the day of the attack, said on December 14 that DePape stated he intended to keep Nancy Pelosi hostage, crush her kneecaps, and place her in a wheelchair with the hammer.
Hurley stated that DePape proposed additional targets than Nancy Pelosi, including California Governor Gavin Newsom. In the interview audio that was presented in court, DePape was heard claiming that he had not “specifically” picked Nancy Pelosi while denouncing the whole Washington political system, ranting about “scandal after scandal,” and describing the political climate as “insane.” According to the prosecution evidence, DePape informed Hurley, “There is evil in Washington.”
During the hearing, the court reiterated prosecutor Phoebe Maffei’s statement that DePape had come to the Pelosi home to wipe out corrupt individuals and teach them a lesson. DePape stated that he did not come here to surrender. According to Maffei, DePape noted that if they stopped him, they prevented him from pursuing evil. DePape warned that they would bear the consequences.
According to court filings, after Paul Pelosi informed DePape, he did not know where his wife was, Pelosi asked to use the restroom, where he dialed 911.
In the 911 call that was listened to in court, Paul Pelosi said someone was in the house, but he didn’t know who. He later told that operator that DePape had instructed him to put the phone down.
The police arrived within minutes and made contact. Officer of the San Francisco Police Department Kyle Cagney testified on December 14 that he observed the attack. He said that his partner ordered DePape to release the weapon. DePape began to draw the hammer, Mr. Pelosi let go, and the man rushed and struck Mr. Pelosi in the head, Cagney stated in court, describing the incident that resulted in a cracked skull for Pelosi.