(San Francisco) The man who assaulted the husband of Democratic Representative Nancy Pelosi with a hammer in late October, hoping to pursue her, described the “fairly friendly” incident to investigators, according to a recording reported by several US media on Wednesday.
David Debab was tried, among other things for attempted murder, on Wednesday in a San Francisco court, during a preliminary hearing that was to determine whether he should go to trial. He denied all charges against him.
Judge Stephen Murphy’s ruling: The evidence is sufficient for a trial, he said.
“The only reasonable explanation for (Mr. Debab’s) statements is that he intended to kill Paul Pelosi when Mr. Pelosi stood in his way,” the judge said.
A formal arraignment hearing is scheduled for December 28.
Confronted with the judge, the prosecutor aired several segments of a police questioning conducted immediately after the attack on Paul Pelosi, when the suspect was still in the hospital.
Then the 42-year-old Canadian, a former nudist activist adept at conspiracy theories on social networks, described the storming of Pelosi’s home in San Francisco which, according to him, took place in a fairly friendly atmosphere, right up to the attack.
“I threatened him once or twice, but overall it was very friendly,” the suspect said during the interrogation, which was reported by the San Francisco Chronicle.
But confronted with the police, he admitted to hitting Paul Pelosi “with all his might” with the gavel.
Equipped with rope, pairs of gloves and duct tape, the man first targeted Nancy Pelosi just days before the US midterm elections. He planned to “break the knees” of the deputy if she did not acknowledge the “lies” of the Democratic camp, according to the investigation.
But she was in Washington that day. Her husband, Paul Pelosi, 82, had time to call 911 before he was punched, fractured his skull and then lost consciousness. He had to undergo surgery and spent a week in the hospital.
US authorities believe the suspect intended to kidnap Mr.I Pelosi is the second person in the order of protocol, after Vice President Kamala Harris, to replace Joe Biden in the event of force majeure.
Tom Hanks on Target
Mr. DePape also confirmed during questioning that he wanted to attack other American figures, in particular California Governor Gavin Newsom, son of President Hunter Biden, and actor Tom Hanks, who referred to a police officer during the hearing.
She did not say whether the police were able to prove that the suspect really had concrete plans for this, according to local channel KRON4, which reported her testimony.
If tried, the Canadian faces a life sentence, according to the San Francisco prosecutor. He is also being tried separately by federal justice and he denies all charges.
And Nancy Pelosi announced in mid-November that she would give up the position of leader of the Democrats in the future House of Representatives, where the Republicans won the majority.
And she explained at the beginning of November that the full recovery of her husband, who underwent surgery and spent a week in the hospital, “will be a long time.”
