Paul Pelosi attack suspect pleads not guilty in federal court

David DePape faces up to 20 years in prison for the attack in San Francisco last month

A man accused of brutally attacking Nancy Pelosi’s husband with a hammer has pleaded not guilty to charges against him during his first appearance in a US federal court.

David DePape, 42, is charged with the attempted kidnapping of a federal official and assault of an immediate family member of a federal official.

He faces a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a fine of $225,000 if he is convicted of the October attack on Paul Pelosi at his San Francisco home, which left the 82-year-old needing surgery to treat a fractured skull.

Mr DePape also faces state charges of attempted murder, residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, false imprisonment of an elder, and threats to a public official and their family.

He is accused of breaking and entering into the couple’s Pacific Heights home and assaulting Mr Pelosi while demanding to see the House speaker, who was not home at the time.

An affidavit by FBI Special Agent Stephanie Minor states that Mr DePape attacked Mr Pelosi “with intent to retaliate against” the speaker “on account of the performance of official duties”.

“DePape stated that he was going to hold Nancy hostage and talk to her. If Nancy were to tell DePape the ‘truth,’ he would let her go, and if she ‘lied,’ he was going to break ‘her kneecaps’,” the complaint said.

“DePape was certain that Nancy would not have told the ‘truth.’ In the course of the interview, DePape articulated he viewed Nancy as the ‘leader of the pack’ of lies told by the Democratic Party.”

Mr Pelosi was discharged from the hospital several days after the attack and is recuperating at home.

Mr DePape’s federal public defender, Angela Chuang, told the court they were not seeking his release and he remains in the custody of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office.

He only spoke to confirm his name during the appearance. He will be back in court again on 30 November.