Released Video Shows Paul Pelosi Being Attacked with a Hammer

The San Francisco Superior Court released police body camera footage of an incident that occurred last October in San Francisco during which Paul Pelosi, husband of former House Speaker Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), was assaulted with a hammer by David DePape at the Pelosi residence, suffering a skull fracture.

Video Details: The video shows police arriving at the Pelosi house, where they encounter Pelosi and DePape at the front door. Both Pelosi and DePape are holding onto a hammer, and DePape’s other hand is holding onto Pelosi’s wrist. After exchanging a few words with the officers, DePape wrestles the hammer away and swings it at Pelosi’s head, at which point the officers rush into the house and separate the two.

Additional Information: Additional video showing DePape breaking into the house was also released. The audio of Pelosi’s 911 call was released, in which Pelosi attempts to subtly indicate to the dispatcher that he is in distress. A court filing stated that DePape told the officers that he broke into the house to “have a little chat with his wife,” referring to Rep. Pelosi.

How The Media Covered It: Left-rated outlets highlighted DePape’s connection to conspiracy theories, which he outlined in an interview transcript that was released with the videos. This connection was typically not included or mentioned less prominently in right-rated coverage, with other aspects of DePape's background highlighted instead. The Daily Caller characterized DePape as a “nudist activist.”