A San Francisco decide on Tuesday ordered the man accused of breaking into U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s house, beating her husband and looking for to kidnap her, to be held with out bail.
Adam Lipson, a lawyer for the defendant, Canadian David DePape, entered a not guilty plea on Depape’s behalf in the course of the temporary listening to in Superior Court in San Francisco. It was the primary public look because the early Friday attack for DePape, a fringe activist drawn to conspiracy theories.
Wearing orange jail clothes, DePape solely spoke to inform Judge Diane Northway the right way to pronounce his final identify. The 42-year-old defendant is scheduled to return to courtroom Friday.
After the listening to, Lipson stated he seems ahead to offering DePape with a “vigorous defence.” He additionally stated he met DePape on Monday evening for the primary time and had not seen the police studies but.
“We’re going to be doing a complete investigation of what occurred. We’re going to be wanting into Mr. DePape’s psychological state, and I’m not going to speak any additional about that till I’ve extra data,” stated Lipson, who famous {that a} no-bail detainer in state courtroom is a moot level as a result of DePape additionally has been positioned on a federal maintain in the case.
The Pelosi household had requested for a Zoom hyperlink to have the ability to watch Tuesday’s proceedings however the decide stated she did not get the request forward of time.
The attack on 82-year-old Paul Pelosi despatched shockwaves by means of the political world simply days earlier than the hotly contested midterm elections. Threats in opposition to lawmakers and election officers have been at all-time highs in this primary nationwide election because the Jan. 6, 2021, rebel on the Capitol, and authorities have issued warning about rising extremism in the U.S.
DePape, 42, faces state costs of tried homicide, robbery and elder abuse. He additionally faces federal costs together with tried kidnapping of a U.S. official. Those costs are outlined in an affidavit detailing the assault, which was largely captured on police physique digicam imagery after authorities responded to a 911 name from the Pelosis’ Pacific Heights house.
Security protocols examined
In Washington, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger supplied a sobering replace Tuesday of safety protocols for members of Congress.
Manger stated that though many enhancements have been made because the Capitol attack, together with the hiring of practically 280 officers by the tip of this yr, “there may be nonetheless a number of work to do.”
“We imagine at present’s political local weather requires extra assets to supply extra layers of bodily safety for members of Congress,” he stated.
Manger stated the attack on Pelosi’s husband was “an alarming reminder of the harmful threats elected officers and public figures face throughout at present’s contentious political local weather.”
Speaker Pelosi was in Washington on the time and underneath the safety of her safety element, which does not prolong to relations. She swiftly returned to San Francisco, the place her husband was hospitalized and underwent surgical procedure for a cranium fracture and different accidents.
She supplied a quick replace on his situation Monday, saying in a press release that her husband was “making regular progress on what shall be an extended restoration.”