The man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home, beating her husband and seeking to kidnap her told police he was on a “suicide mission” and had plans to target other California and federal politicians, according to a Tuesday court filing.
The man accused of breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s home, beating her husband and seeking to kidnap her told police he was on a “suicide mission” and had plans to target other California and federal politicians, according to a Tuesday court filing.
David DePape was ordered held without bail during his arraignment Tuesday in San Francisco Superior Court. His public defender entered a not-guilty plea on his behalf. It was the first public appearance since the early Friday attack for DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories.
In court papers filed Tuesday, prosecutors detailed the attack in stark terms as part of their bid to keep DePape behind bars. Paul Pelosi was knocked unconscious by the hammer attack and woke up in a pool of his own blood, the filing said.
DePape allegedly said he had other targets, including a local professor as well as several prominent state and federal politicians – and members of their families.
“This case demands detention,” Jenkins wrote in the court filing. “Nothing less.”
Wearing orange jail clothing, DePape only spoke to tell Judge Diane Northway how to pronounce his last name (dih-PAP’). The 42-year-old defendant is scheduled to return to court Friday.
After the hearing, DePape’s public defender Adam Lipson said he looks forward to providing DePape with a “vigorous defense.” He also said he met DePape on Monday night for the first time and had not seen the police reports yet.
