Judge keeps David DePape in jail on charges he attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer

A San Francisco judge on Friday kept the man charged with attacking the husband of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in jail without bail while he awaits trial.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Loretta “Lori” Giorgi scheduled a preliminary hearing Dec. 14 for David DePape, 42, of Richmond, California.

DePape has been held at San Francisco County Jail since the Oct. 28 attack while facing state charges including attempted murder, elder abuse and burglary. He allegedly knocked Paul Pelosi unconscious with a hammer in his home during an early morning break-in at the couple's San Francisco home.

© Michael Short/San Francisco Chronicle via AP David Depape is shown in Berkeley, Calif.,on Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. An intruder attacked and severely beat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's husband with a hammer in the couple's San Francisco home early Friday, Oct. 28, 2022, while searching for the Democratic leader. Police were called to the home to check on Paul Pelosi when they discovered the 82-year-old and the suspect, Depape, both grabbing onto the hammer, said Police Chief William Scott.

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DePape also faces federal charges of assault on a family member of a federal official and attempted kidnapping of a federal official.

DePape pleaded not guilty Tuesday to the state charges and was ordered held without bail. The hearing Friday was a chance for him to get a conditional release. No federal arraignment has been scheduled yet.

His public defender, Adam Lipson, said even if DePape were released on the state charges, he has a federal hold order that would keep him locked up pending trial.

During the brief hearing Friday, Giorgi disclosed that she worked in the San Francisco city attorney's office with one of Pelosi's daughters, Christine Pelosi, during the 1990s.

But Giogi said the two hadn't interacted in years. Nobody objected to Giorgi holding the hearing.

Christine Pelosi attended the hearing, but left without addressing reporters.

Details emerge in Paul Pelosi attack: A break-in, a conversation, a 911 call and then violence

DePape, a Canadian national who grew up in British Columbia, entered the U.S. in 2000 and overstayed his entry from the customary six months, federal officials told The Associated Press.

The attack raised concerns about the country’s violent polarization – after the shootings of House members of both parties in the last decade – and heated political rhetoric approaching Tuesday’s midterm election.

DePape was charged with breaking into the home through a glass door, waking Paul Pelosi to ask for his wife and bludgeoning Pelosi with a hammer after a brief struggle when police arrived.

Police response to Paul Pelosi attack: Minutes passed before Capitol Police reviewed footage in Pelosi home break-in, reports say

Pelosi suffered a fractured skull in the attack and had surgery at San Francisco General Hospital. He was released Thursday, but faces a long recovery, Nancy Pelosi said in a statement.

DePape told police he wanted to confront Nancy Pelosi and break her kneecaps if she lied, to make an example of her, according to court records.

“There’s been a lot of speculation regarding Mr. DePape’s vulnerability to misinformation," Lipson said after the Tuesday arraignment. "That’s certainly something that we’re going to look into.’’

Contributing: The Associated Press

Capitol Police chief: 'More resources' needed after attack on Paul Pelosi

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Judge keeps David DePape in jail on charges he attacked Paul Pelosi with a hammer