In a filing reviewed by Business Insider on Friday, prosecutors pushed for the addition of a terrorism enhancement to DePape’s sentencing. DePape, who maintains a plea of not guilty, is still confronted with additional charges, including attempted murder, carrying a possible sentence ranging from 13 years to life imprisonment.
Paul Pelosi sustained two skull fractures requiring surgical intervention after DePape assaulted him with a hammer in October 2022.
The attack transpired after DePape forcibly entered Pelosi’s residence in San Francisco with the intent to abduct then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and inflict harm on her by fracturing her kneecaps, intending to convey that her alleged “deceit and misconduct” had consequences, according to the memorandum.
Prosecutors urge 40 years in prison for attacker of Pelosi’s husband
DePape was convicted of the assault in November following approximately eight hours of jury deliberation. His sentencing is scheduled for May 17.
Prosecutors asserted in the sentencing memorandum, “The nature and circumstances of the offense warrant statutory maximums on each count.” They argued that the aim of both offenses—the attempted abduction of a public figure and the assault on the family member of a public figure—constitutes violence aimed at retribution against the former Speaker of the House of Representatives. According to prosecutors, these acts represent an affront to democratic principles and core values.
While the frequency of incorporating a terrorism enhancement into criminal cases remains uncertain, research published by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism suggests that prosecutors are approximately four times more inclined to pursue such an enhancement in international cases compared to those involving domestic extremists.
Among the over 1,200 individuals charged in connection with the January 6 Capitol attack, only a small number had a terrorism enhancement appended to their cases, as noted in the research.
Neither DePape’s legal representatives nor the prosecutors involved in the case responded immediately to Business Insider’s requests for comments. Additionally, a spokesperson for Rep. Pelosi did not offer an immediate comment to Business Insider’s inquiry.
