Canadian David DePaul, who attacked the family of former US Speaker of the Congress Nancy Pelosi on October 28, 2022, has been sentenced to life in prison without the right to early release or pardon. This was reported by the BBC, according to UNN.
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It is noted that the attacker had previously received a 30-year sentence from a federal court. However, a California court ruled that DePaul should spend the rest of his life in prison.
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A few days before the midterm elections to the US House of Representatives, DePaul broke into Pelosi's house with the intention of taking the politician hostage and interrogating her on air. However, the speaker was not at home at the time - instead, the attacker found only her husband Paul, who was 82 years old at the time. DePaul threatened him and eventually hit with a sledgehammer, which forced Pelosi to undergo an extremely difficult operation. Doctors miraculously saved the man.
The attacker was found guilty of three serious crimes: kidnapping, breaking and entering with intent to steal, and holding an elderly person hostage. The defense tried to convince the court that DePaap suffered from mental problems and isolation, but these arguments were rejected.
Pelosi's family stated that they believe the verdict is fair and hope that it will “send a signal that political violence against elected officials is unacceptable.