### DOJ Advocates for Terrorism Enhancement in Sentencing of Paul Pelosi’s Attacker
By Mary Kay Linge
Published May 11, 2024, 5:53 p.m. ET
The Department of Justice is pushing for a 40-year prison sentence for David DePape, the man convicted of attacking Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This sentence seeks a “terrorism enhancement” to increase the assailant’s time behind bars, despite DePape not being convicted of any terrorism charges.
US attorneys argue that the violent intentions behind DePape’s actions are not permissible in the United States, advocating for a sentence beyond the 25-year jail term recommended by the federal Probation Office. US Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey emphasized the need for the terrorism enhancement in his sentencing memorandum, highlighting the severity of DePape’s actions.
In November, a federal jury found DePape guilty of attempted kidnapping and assault on a federal official’s immediate family member in retaliation for their duties. The attack on Paul Pelosi, documented by police body camera footage, resulted in serious injuries including a fractured skull.
DePape, who expressed remorse during his trial, claimed his actual targets were high-profile figures he believed were part of a global conspiracy. He faces federal sentencing on May 17, followed by a trial on state charges, including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
The Department of Justice is advocating for a 40-year prison sentence for David DePape, who was convicted of attacking Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This recommendation seeks to include a “terrorism enhancement” to increase DePape’s sentence beyond the 25-year term suggested by the federal Probation Office, despite DePape not facing any terrorism charges.
US Attorney Ismail J. Ramsey, in a recent filing, emphasized that DePape’s actions, which aimed to impart “violent lessons,” are unacceptable in the United States. Ramsey’s sentencing memorandum underscores the need for the terrorism enhancement, given DePape’s intentions to promote a federal crime of terrorism.
DePape was found guilty by a federal jury in San Francisco of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault on a federal official’s immediate family member in retaliation for their official duties. The attack on Paul Pelosi, which occurred in their San Francisco home on October 28, 2022, was captured on police body camera footage, showing a brutal hammer assault that left Pelosi with a fractured skull and other severe injuries.
During his trial, DePape apologized for injuring Paul Pelosi, stating that Pelosi was not his intended target. DePape revealed his plan was to confront the former Speaker and other high-profile individuals to force confessions of involvement in a fictitious global pedophile ring, a belief fueled by fringe political podcasts.
DePape is scheduled for federal sentencing on May 17, after which he will face trial on state charges, including attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.