David DePape was also convicted on federal charges in May leading to a 30-year prison sentence which will now be served concurrently.
In the state trial, a San Francisco jury found DePape guilty of kidnapping, first-degree burglary and false imprisonment of an elder.
When police officers arrived after responding to a 911 call, they found Mr Pelosi and DePape both gripping the hammer.
Moments later – after being asked to drop the weapon – DePape abruptly struck Mr Pelosi before being wrestled to the ground by officers.
In addition to a fractured skull, Mr Pelosi suffered injuries to his arm and hand.
California has sentenced the man who broke into former Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s house and used a hammer to attack her husband to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Concurrently serving a 30-year prison sentence, David DePape was also found guilty on federal charges in May.
At the state trial, a jury in San Francisco convicted DePape of first-degree burglary, kidnapping, and false imprisonment of an elder. After the attack, Paul Pelosi, now eighty-four, spent six days in the hospital due to a fractured skull and other injuries.
The Pelosi family said that “legal justice has been served” in a statement following the sentencing.
The family stated that they have been thinking about the horrific assault, its trauma, and the potential for more attacks ever since the violent break-in and cries of “where’s Nancy?” two years ago.
“That political violence against elected officials or their family members will not be tolerated” is the message they hope the sentence conveys, they continued.
DePape intends to appeal Tuesday’s decision, according to his attorney.
“This was a really tragic end to a tragic story,” lawyer Adam Lipson said to reporters following the hearing. .
Mr. Lipson had made an unsuccessful attempt to persuade the judge to impose a lighter sentence, claiming that DePape was susceptible to propaganda because of his isolation and mental health problems.
Declaring that he had no sympathy for DePape, Judge Harry Dorfman declined.
As Judge Dorfman imposed his sentence, he remarked, “I feel sympathy for the victim in this case, who’s lucky to be alive.”. “My goal is for Mr. DePape to remain incarcerated and never be granted parole. “”.
DePape, a Canadian national who has resided in the United States for twenty years, broke into the Pelosi residence in California on October 28, 2022, using a hammer, according to video of the incident that was shown during the previous trial.
When DePape confronted the lawmaker’s husband inside the couple’s home, he asked for Mrs. Pelosi, who was not home.
Both Mr. Pelosi and DePape were holding the hammer when police officers arrived after answering a 911 call.
DePape suddenly struck Mr. Pelosi after being instructed to drop the weapon, and officers had to wrestle him to the ground. The officers’ body cameras captured the event.
Mr. Pelosi was injured in his hand and arm in addition to having a fractured skull. Throughout the attack, he was hit three times.
The assailant had acknowledged during his federal trial that he intended to hold Mrs. Pelosi captive, question her on camera, and “break her kneecaps” if she did not confess to the lies he said she had told.
The daughter of Mrs. Pelosi, Christine, read a letter from her father, who claimed that the attack had damaged his nerves and made him afraid to sleep alone at home.
According to Associated Press reporters inside the courtroom, DePape spent a significant amount of time discussing conspiracy theories related to the September 11, 2001 attack when he was given the opportunity to address the court during the state trial.
The judge had to repeatedly interrupt DePape as he also claimed that he thought his government-appointed attorneys were plotting against him, according to the AP.
