Police footage of attack on Paul Pelosi released

UPDATED, with comments from Nancy Pelosi: Police video footage of the hammer attack on Paul Pelosi, the husband of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was released Friday after a judge sided with the media organizations in their request to access the footage.

The graphic images show police officers knocking on the front door of the Pelosi home. When the door opened, Paul Pelosi was standing next to suspect David DePape, both holding a hammer. After an officer ordered, “Drop the hammer!” the suspect replied, “No.” Video then shows the suspect holding the hammer over his head and hitting Pelosi with it. Police then burst into the home, with one officer saying, “Oh, s—!”

DePape has pleaded not guilty to a number of state and federal charges related to the assault. Paul Pelosi is recovering from his injuries after a fractured skull and injuries to his arms and hands.

According to court documents, DePape told police he was looking for the Speaker of the House and planned to tie her up and break her kneecaps. Nancy Pelosi was in Washington, DC at the time of the early morning attack on October 28th.

The video was shown during a public hearing last month and news organizations, including the Associated Press and major news outlets and cable news networks, sought access to the material. Judge Stephen M. Murphy ordered the material released.

When the video was released, Fox News aired the footage, while CNN and MSNBC reported on a press conference held by Tire Nichols’ family prior to the release of police footage. Five Memphis officers have been charged in Nichols’ death. CNN addressed the footage after the press conference. MSNBC later released surveillance camera footage showing the suspect scouting and breaking into Pelosi’s home. ABC News showed footage in a special report by David Muir on ABC News Live, but cut it just as the suspect started swinging a hammer.

The video celebrated with accounts of the incident emerging in media and police reports. Still, the incident has been the source of conspiracy theories, including one spread on Twitter by the company’s new owner, Elon Musk.

Geraldo Rivera, a rotating co-host of The five on Fox News, wrote on Twitter: “Any journalist/host who casts doubt and ridicule on the bonafides surrounding Paul Pelosi’s hammer attack should feel a pang of shame and regret. But not you.”

The audio of Paul Pelosi’s 911 call and the suspect’s confession was also released.

Nancy Pelosi told reporters she was “certainly not going to see the fatal attempt on my husband’s life.”

She said her husband “is making progress, but it will take more time”.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement: “The violent attack on Paul Pelosi was unconscionable and his attacker must be brought to justice. We live in dangerous times of unprecedented extremism and political violence that have no place in our democracy or in the everyday lives of elected officials and their families.”