Video released publicly Friday shows the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi fighting for control of a hammer with his assailant during a brutal attack in the couple’s San Francisco home last year.
The police body camera footage appears to show both Paul Pelosi and suspect David DePape with a hand on the hammer as police opened the door. DePape was holding Pelosi’s arm when police responded.
One officer told DePape to “drop the hammer.”
“Uh, nope,” the suspect replied.
The video then shows DePape attempting to wrest the tool from the 82-year-old before lunging toward him with the hammer over his head. The blow to Pelosi occurs out of view and the officers — one of them cursing — rush into the house and jump on DePape.
Pelosi, apparently unconscious, can be seen lying face down on the floor in his pajama top and underwear.
The release comes after a group of news agencies sought access to the evidence that prosecutors played in open court last month. The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office had refused to make the exhibits available to journalists, but a state court judge Wednesday ruled there was no reason to keep the video secret.
The evidence includes portions of Paul Pelosi’s 911 call on Oct. 28, as well as video images from Capitol police surveillance cameras, body cameras worn by the two police officers who arrived at the house and video from suspect DePape’s interview with police.
The Capitol Police video shows DePape walk up to a glass-panel door, leave and then return wearing a large backpack and carrying two other bags. He set all the items down and pulled out a hammer that he used to smash the door glass and step through an opening.
DePape has pleaded not guilty in ongoing state and federal cases. He is being held in jail without bail.
Members of Congress have faced a sharp rise in threats in the two years since the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
Paul Pelosi was asleep at the couple’s home when DePape allegedly broke in. Nancy Pelosi was in Washington at the time and under the protection of her security detail, which does not extend to family members.
Her husband of nearly 60 years woke up in a pool of his own blood. He later underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands. He has since appeared in public wearing a hat and a glove that covered his wounds.
Police have said DePape told them there was “evil in Washington” and he wanted to harm Nancy Pelosi because she was second in line to the presidency at the time.
DePape told police he was on a “suicide mission,” court documents say, and authorities have said he was drawn to conspiracy theories.
Misinformation about the attack has been rampant.
