Suspect in Paul Pelosi attack indicted on federal charges
The charges amount to up to 50 years in prison, with the attempted kidnapping charge amounting to 20 years, and 30 years for the attack on Paul Pelosi.
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Suspect in David DePape attack, David DePape, indicted.
The US Justice Department reported that Canadian citizen David DePape, who attacked US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband at the couple's home in San Francisco, was indicted on assault and attempted kidnapping charges.
In a statement, the Justice Department said: "A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a California man with assault and attempted kidnapping in connection with the break-in at the Pelosi residence on Oct. 28 in San Francisco."
If convicted, DePape faces a potential sentence of 30 years in prison for the assault count and 20 years in jail for the attempted kidnapping count.
Stay updated: US Midterm Elections 2022
On October 28, San Francisco police came to a welfare check at the Pelosi residence and discovered Paul Pelosi and 42-year-old David DePape grappling with a hammer. Before being captured by police, DePape allegedly took the hammer and struck Pelosi with it.
The attack came in light of a surge in election denialism and voter intimidation ahead of the midterm elections.
Election denialism, which involves casting doubt on election procedures, has been sharply on the rise since former US President Donald Trump's defeat in the 2020 elections.
Election deniers generally believe that the 2020 elections were rigged, that Trump should have won a second term, and that voter fraud was widespread.
According to a poll jointly conducted by Reuters and Ipsos on October 27, two out of five US voters say they were concerned that individuals might threaten them or carry out acts of intimidation at polling stations during the US' November 8 midterm elections.
