A person accused of attacking US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer has pleaded not responsible to federal fees in opposition to him.
David DePape is accused of the tried kidnapping of a federal official and assault of a direct member of the family of a federal official.
The fees come up from a break-in at Nancy and Paul Pelosi’s residence in San Francisco on 28 October, simply days earlier than the midterm elections. Mr Pelosi, 82, was left needing surgical procedure to deal with a fractured cranium.
DePape, 42, of Richmond, a San Francisco suburb, has individually pleaded not responsible to state fees of tried homicide, housebreaking and elder abuse.
The federal fees embrace assault upon a direct member of the family of a US official with the intent to retaliate in opposition to the official on account of the efficiency of official duties.
That carries a most sentence of 30 years in federal jail.
Another cost alleges Mr DePape tried to kidnap a US official “on account of the performance of official duties”. That indictment claims Mr DePape meant to kidnap Mrs Pelosi – and might end in a most of 20 years in jail.
Appearing in orange garments with out handcuffs, Mr DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories, was assigned a public defence lawyer who entered the plea on his behalf throughout the temporary court docket look in San Francisco.
Officers responding to Mr Pelosi’s 911 name discovered him and Mr DePape combating over a hammer, the indictment alleges.
An officer ordered Mr DePape to drop the hammer, however he responded, “ummm nope”, earlier than forcefully swinging it at Mr Pelosi, it says.
The sequence lasted about 15 seconds, it goes on, however left Mr Pelosi and Mr DePape mendacity on the ground with blood swelling round Mr Pelosi’s head.
When he referred to as emergency providers, Mr Pelosi instructed the dispatcher he was sleeping, when a person he had by no means seen earlier than entered his bed room on the lookout for his spouse, who was in Washington, DC on the time.
Officers later discovered a damaged glass door to the again porch. They recovered zip ties, a roll of tape, white rope, a second hammer, and a pair of rubber and material gloves.
The assault on Mr Pelosi occurred as threats in opposition to US politicians and election officers have been at all-time highs, and authorities have issued warnings about rising extremism.
Mr DePape is being held with out bail in state custody.
Source: information.sky.com”