Paul Pelosi immediately knew he was “in serious danger” when he woke up to a large, unknown man standing in his bedroom carrying a hammer and zip ties, he testified in San Francisco Federal Court Monday.
“He was standing in the doorway and I assume he was three, four feet away from me,” Pelosi said at the trial of David DePape, who stands accused of assaulting him.
Pelosi gave his version of events of the harrowing ordeal when DePape, 43, broke into his home shortly after 2 a.m. on Oct. 28, 2022.
He demanded to know the whereabouts of Pelosi’s wife, former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
“He said, ‘Where’s Nancy’ as I think that woke me up,” Pelosi continued. “I’m asleep and he bursts in the door and that woke me up.”
Nancy Pelosi was in Washington DC at the time of the attack.
DePape allegedly later told detectives he had planned to take the former House Speaker hostage and “break her knee caps.”
During the bizarre interaction which followed, Pelosi managed to call 911 and told a dispatcher, “This gentleman just came into the house and wants to wait here until my wife comes home and, anyway, he’s telling me to put the phone down.”
The dispatcher recognized a possible threat despite Pelosi’s calm demeanor and police were sent to the home.
Pelosi said he knew his best chance for survival was to get downstairs and meet the police.
Pelosi testified he told DePape: “Since all your stuff is downstairs why don’t we go downstairs, you can tie me up and you can get some sleep,” according to NBC News.
Once they opened the door to officers, DePape seized the hammer and hit Paul with it, bodycam video shows.
FBI Special Agent Stephanie Minor testified on Monday about the video which indicated DePape hit Paul Pelosi at least three times.
Prosecutors also played video footage from police body-worn cameras that showed paramedics helping Pelosi, who was facedown on the floor.
As one paramedic held a white towel against Pelosi’s head, another placed a neck and head brace on the 83-year old before he was placed onto a stretcher chair.
Pelosi’s face and hands are covered in blood.
Assistant US Attorney Laura Vartain asked Pelosi what he remembered and he said: “Waking up in a pool of blood.”
Pelosi sustained a fractured skull and suffered serious wounds to his right arm and hands in the attack and was hospitalized for a number of days for treatment.
Although he has since made public appearances alongside his wife, she said in January he was “making progress, but it’ll take more time,” before he was back to normal.
DePape’s defense attorney, Lori Linker, told jurors during her opening statement last week the case is not a “whodunnit,” but that the jury must think about why her client attacked Pelosi.
She claimed DePape truly believed he was trying to save the world from a secret cabal of high-profile pedophiles.
He also echoed right-wing QAnon conspiracy theories and had a list of “targets,” which included Nancy Pelosi because he believed she was the “face” of the Democratic Party and used mainstream media as her “weapon.”
His other intended targets included actor Tom Hanks, President Joe Biden’s son Hunter and California Gov. Gavin Newsom, according to court documents obtained by The Post.
DePape also had posted rants on a blog and an online forum about subjects including aliens, communists, religious minorities and global elites.
DePape is being tried on charges of assaulting the immediate family member of a federal official and the attempted kidnapping of a federal official.
He is also facing an attempted murder charge in a separate state case. He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.
A Canadian national, DePape moved to the United States more than 20 years ago after falling in love with Gypsy Taub, an activist known for her pro-nudity stance.
Taub, who was in court on Monday, told The Post DePape was not the type to resort to violence.
“He is a very shy and sweet guy who would never raise his voice,” Taub said. “He is terrified of authority and won’t even honk a horn if he’s cut off [in traffic]. He is the last person to do something like this, especially in front of police.”
With Post wires
