He was already sentenced last year in federal court to 30 years in prison in connection with the brutal attack on October 28, 2022.
Legal Analyst Steven Clark explained the impact of the sentencing.
"What you saw is state and federal prosecutors asking for the maximum term. They don't want Mr. DePape falling through the cracks. If this case is overturned on appeal. They want to ensure that DePape never is released from custody because he is a danger to the community and to people in the political world," said Clark.
Before DePape was sentenced in Superior Court, he rambled for more than half an hour about his conspiracy theories. But, he did not show apologize to the Pelosi family during his statement.
DePape rambled saying "9/11 is an inside job," saying that the 2020 election was stolen, among other things.
Public Defender Adam Lipson responded saying, "This was really a tragic end to a tragic story. All of you who were in the courtroom and listened to his statement that quite frankly, he's not a well man."
Lipson went on to say, "This is a man who lived a very solitary life and got involved in a lot of online conspiracy theory and engagement farming."
"Mr. DePape's statement at his sentencing hearing is going to be Exhibit A on appeal as to the mental health issues he faces. Clearly, he is someone who is delusional. He is someone who has become unsound mentally," said Clark.
Mr. DePape was convicted by a jury of aggravated kidnapping, residential burglary, false imprisonment, threatening a family member of a public official, and attempting to sway witness by force or threat.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that DePape targeted Nancy Pelosi because of her role as house speaker at the time.
Prosecutors say he attacked Pelosi's husband Paul with a hammer and plotted to interrogate the former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
She was not home during the break-in.
The Pelosi family released this statement after the judge announced DePape's punishment.
"Today's sentence of life without parole gives our Pop some measure of legal justice and, we hope, a message to others that political violence against elected officials or their family members will not be tolerated, minimized or condoned."
District Attorney Brooke Jenkins issued this statement saying:
"I hope that today's sentencing, which comes almost two years to the day of the incident, provides some closure to Mr. Pelosi and his family and the American people who were horrified by Mr. DePape's grotesque violence."
We asked the Public Defender why DePape did not enter a plea of "not guilty by reason of insanity."
He says the insanity defense did not apply in this case, but he did not offer any more details.
The Public Defender says he plans on returning to court and appealing the judge's ruling.
In a statement to the judge, Paul Pelosi wrote: "When I awoke in a pool of my own blood, I had severe head, arm and hand injuries."
He also wrote, "It took many months to reclaim my home and well-being. I still keep away from media and video of the attack for my own peace of mind."
The Pelosi family issued this statement and released the following letter from Mr. Paul Pelosi:
"Two grueling years after the defendant violently broke into our family home with zip ties and a hammer yelling 'where's Nancy?,' then kidnapped Mr. Pelosi and nearly killed him, legal justice has been served. Our entire family is grateful to the paramedics and lifesaving General Hospital trauma team, to the prosecution staff and to all who have sent love and prayers. Mostly, we are in awe of Pop's courage on that horrible night two years ago - as well as on the witness stand at two criminal trials and every day of his recovery from the vicious assault on his life.
"Since the violent break-in and shouts of 'where's Nancy?' two years ago, not a day goes by that we do not think of this devastating assault, its trauma - or the possibility of future attacks. Today's sentence of life without parole gives our Pop some measure of legal justice and, we hope, a message to others that political violence against elected officials or their family members will not be tolerated, minimized or condoned. We must each do our part to build a peaceful democracy."
Dear Judge Dorfman,
The last peaceful sleep I had ended abruptly at 2:00 am on October 28, 2022 when the defendant violently broke into my home, burst into my bedroom and stood over my bed with a hammer and zip ties demanding to see my wife, yelling "Where's Nancy?"
Awakened by a large violent man wielding a weapon and threatening to tie up my wife and "take her out," I did all I could to calm him and save my own life. I tried escaping from my bedroom to the elevator to call the police but he crowded into the elevator with me and prevented my escape or rescue. The defendant knew I was alone and could have left then and there once he learned that my wife Nancy Pelosi, then Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, was in Washington, DC for work - but he kept me hostage in my own home saying he would wait for her. He insisted that he was on a political mission to avenge what he considered to be my wife's mistreatment of former President Donald Trump - and said he was going to wait for my wife, tie her up and interrogate her about that.
I managed to make my way into my bathroom to call the police - and again the defendant could have left me there - but he continued to stay even after I dialed 911. I told the 911 operator who I was and tried to get her to understand that I needed help - all the while, the defendant lumbered over me, interrupted my conversation, falsely claimed to be a friend of Nancy's and mine, and urged me to hang up, so I did. I thought I had a chance of saving my life if I went downstairs. Lord knows what would have happened if I was two floors up and the police arrived. So I convinced the defendant to go downstairs - which we did, slowly because I was still recovering from knee surgery - and just when the police arrived and I thought I would be free, he did not run away out the back patio door that he'd broken into - or even run past the police officers who stood at the door with no guns or tasers in hand. Instead, as he later testified, the defendant made me "take the punishment" with a vicious assault. After the defendant struck me in the head with blows from his hammer, I fell unconscious.
When I awoke in a pool of my own blood, I had severe head, arm and hand injuries. The paramedics who cut off my pajamas and put tourniquets on my head and arms kept me awake and helped save my life. But even after emergency trauma surgery and six days at San Francisco General Hospital, my injuries were severe and persistent.
My head injuries continue to affect my life. My hair grew back - but I have bumps on my head from the hammer blows that crushed my skull - and a metal plate that will forever remain in my head. The dizziness has not gone away. In late November of 2023 - 13 months after the assault - I felt vertigo and fell twice at home, leading to extensive medical evaluations including MRIs and nerve block injections in my neck. Treatments continue. To this day, I walk slowly and have difficulty with my balance. Nearly every day I get headaches that become migraines unless quickly addressed. I need to sleep during the day and cannot tolerate bright lights or loud noises for extended periods of time.
The defendant's violent attack severely damaged the nerves in my left hand. My forehand was "de-gloved" exposing raw nerves and blood vessels. Surgeries and treatments mostly healed the skin, but underneath I still felt pinched nerves in my left hand for months, making basic tasks like using buttons, cutlery and simple tools more difficult. My right arm had stitches for 8 weeks. Sleeping alone in my home still evokes memories of the defendant breaking into my house.
It took many months to reclaim my home and well-being. I still keep away from media and video of the attack for my own peace of mind. Even after testifying in federal and state criminal trials, I do not read the coverage or willingly revisit the events. My family and friends were traumatized by the attack - and many political spouses with whom I have grown close during my wife's service in Congress have been both sympathetic to me and scared for their own safety. To protect my healing, I still do not address the assault with my wife or anyone else. Nor do I discuss the trauma experienced by my wife who remains under 24-hour security two years later even though she is no longer serving as Speaker of the House. Even now, we do not answer our landline phone or our front door due to ongoing threats. We cannot fully remove the stain on the floor in the front entryway where I bled. As recently as this summer, we had to improve security measures at our home due to ongoing threats.
I ask that you consider the premeditated, violent break-in of my home, kidnapping and vicious assault on my life, and the ongoing physical and mental injuries caused by the defendant.
Since the violent break-in and shouts of "where's Nancy?" echoing in my bedroom two years ago, not a day goes by that we do not think of this devastating assault, its trauma - or the possibility of future attacks. For these reasons, my entire family joins me in requesting that you sentence the defendant to the fullest extent the law provides.
Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Paul Pelosi