Pelosi attack video shows struggle and savage hammer swing
Video released Friday shows the husband of former U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi struggling with his assailant for control of a hammer moments before he was struck in the head during a brutal attack in the couple's San Francisco home last year.
Police body-camera footage shows David DePape wrest the tool from Paul Pelosi, 82, and lunge toward him with the weapon over his head. The blow to Pelosi occurs out of the camera's view and the officers — one of them cursing — rush into the house and one tackles DePape.
Pelosi, apparently unconscious, can be seen lying face down on the floor in his pajama top and underwear. Officials later said he woke up in a pool of his own blood.
The video release comes after a coalition of news agencies, including The Associated Press, sought access to the evidence that prosecutors played in court last month. The San Francisco district attorney had refused to make the exhibits available to journalists and defense lawyers fought their release.
A state court judge Wednesday ruled there was no reason to keep the video secret.
The evidence included portions of Paul Pelosi’s 911 call on Oct. 28, as well as video from a Capitol police surveillance camera, a camera worn by one of the two police officers who arrived first at the house and nearly 18-minutes of audio from DePape’s interview with police.
The Capitol Police video shows DePape approach a glass-panel door shortly after 2 a.m., leave and then return wearing a large backpack and carrying two other bags. He set the items down and pulled out a hammer, pausing to put on gloves, and used it to smash the door enough to force his way through an opening.
DePape, 43, has pleaded not guilty in state and federal cases and is jailed without bail. He faces charges including attempted murder, elder...