Paul Pelosi attacker David DePape’s trial in San Francisco raises questions of impartiality

As the trial begins for the man accused of attacking Rep. Nancy Pelosi‘s (D-CA) husband last year, questions regarding the San Francisco-based jurors’ impartiality weigh over the court case.

A federal judge in July denied a motion to move the trial of David DePape out of San Francisco to Eureka, more than 200 miles from the city Nancy Pelosi represents. DePape’s federal public defenders, Jodi Linker and Angela Chuang, argued that local publicity in the case threatened DePape’s right to a fair trial, presenting U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Scott Corley with a commissioned survey reflecting how many potential jurors already believe he is guilty of the crimes against Paul Pelosi.

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“Specifically, as to Count 1, the attempted kidnapping charge, 55% of prospective jurors in the San Francisco Division already believe that DePape is guilty. By contrast, only 39% of jurors in the Eureka Division already believe Mr. DePape is guilty,” DePape’s defense attorneys wrote in a court filing.

In rejecting the motion asking for the change of venue, Corley pointed to the case receiving national media attention, noting they’ll pull from many jurors and question them properly. The judge also said it would be more difficult to find a jury in Eureka’s small population compared to the Bay Area, which has more than 5 million people.

DePape pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges after authorities reported he broke into Pelosi’s San Francisco home, sending Paul Pelosi to the hospital with a fractured skull in October 2022. Prosecutors say DePape sought to kidnap the former speaker, who was out of town, and instead beat her husband with a hammer.

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Nancy Pelosi has represented California’s 11th District for 36 years, having deep connections to San Francisco’s residents and voters. Her husband’s assault contributed to her decision to step down from Democratic Party leadership in November 2022, but she said she’ll still seek House reelection in 2024.

Jury selection was set to start Monday morning, and opening statements are expected later in the week.