David DePape—a 42-year-old Richmond man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi, the husband of House speaker Nancy Pelosi, with a hammer on Oct. 28—pleaded not guilty at the San Francisco Superior Court on Tuesday. However, the suspected assailant, who neighbors say was a right-winger, signed a protective order to leave the Pelosi couple alone. DePape, who supposedly planned to hold the speaker and “break her kneecaps,” faces charges of attempted murder, burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse and threatening an elected official’s family member. If he is found guilty, DePape may be sentenced from 13 years to life in prison, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said on Monday in a press conference. Before DePape was to appear in court, Jenkins said the break-in and subsequent assault was “violent and depraved,” while other Republicans like Kari Lake have made light of it. DePape is currently being held without bail, Judge Diane Northway said, and he is to appear in court on Friday to decide his bail.
