The Federal Prosecutor's Office has requested a sentence of 40 years in prison for a crime of terrorism against the far-right David DePape, the man already found guilty of the hammer attack against Paul Pelosi, husband of the former president of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi. .
“The violent lessons that the defendant wanted to teach are not permitted in this country and this court's sentence must reflect the nature and circumstances of the crime,” prosecutors noted in a letter dated Friday.
The document supports the recommendation of 25 years in prison issued by the Probation Office, but with an aggravating factor of terrorism that would extend the sentence. “The accused attempted a federal crime of terrorism and therefore the aggravating circumstance of terrorism must be applied,” they explain, and ask for an exemplary sentence that serves as a deterrent to other possible crimes in the future.
“When extremism leads to attacks against public and elected officials, we must speak for others who may attempt violent designs and plans for ideological reasons,” they add.
DePape was already convicted in November of attempting to kidnap a federal official and assaulting an immediate family member of an elected official. The sentence will be made public on May 17.
Paul Pelosi, 83, underwent “successful” surgery to repair a fractured skull and serious injuries to his right arm and hands after the assailant, hammer in hand, asked him where his wife was and attacked him. at his home in California in October 2022.
DePape planned to “hold hostage” the former president, who was not at her home at the time. During the investigation against her, US police recovered zip ties in Pelosi's room and in the hallway near the front door of the house.
Likewise, in the backpack of DePape — who spread different conspiracy theories, from aliens to electoral fraud in the 2020 elections — they found, among other objects, a roll of adhesive tape, a white rope, a hammer, a pair of rubber gloves, cloth and a journal.
During the assault, Pelosi managed to call the emergency services, who heard a conversation in the background, after which the Police were sent to review what was happening. All this without the attacker having evidence that there was an open line.