Tom Hanks
(Picture: Getty Images)The man accused of attacking Nancy Pelosi’s husband also wanted to target other people including Tom Hanks, a court heard.
David DePape is accused of breaking into the home of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi while she was out of town and beating her husband Paul with a hammer in October.
A police officer who interviewed DePape on the day of the attack testified that he said there was “evil in Washington” and that he was looking to harm Ms Pelosi.
Speaking in court in San Francisco, Lt. Carla Hurley said the defendant told her of others he wanted to attack, including California governor Gavin Newsom, Tom Hanks, and Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden.
Hurley did not say whether police had any evidence of a plot against them, and prosecutors declined to comment after the hearing.
She testified that DePape told Paul Pelosi he wanted to talk to Nancy Pelosi because "she is the second in line to the presidency".
If the US president and vice president become unable to serve, the speaker of the US House assumes the presidency.
Hurley also said DePape told her that he was seeking the speaker and told her husband that he was not part of the plan.
Hurley said DePape told her that after he saw the lights of a police patrol car, he told Paul Pelosi, “I’m not going to surrender, I am here to fight. If you stop me from going after people, you will take the punishment instead."
The court was also played audio of Mr Pelosi’s 911 call.
Paul Pelosi was knocked unconscious in the attack and woke up in a pool of his own blood. He later underwent surgery to repair a skull fracture and serious injuries to his right arm and hands.
The speaker was in Washington at the time and under the protection of her security detail.
DePape, who appeared in court wearing orange jail clothes, has pleaded not guilty to federal and state charges, including attempted murder, burglary and elder abuse. He remains held without bail.
San Francisco Superior Court Judge Stephen Murphy ruled that prosecutors had shown enough evidence during a preliminary hearing to move forward with a trial on state charges, including attempted murder. DePape is due back in state court on December 28.
DePape’s lawyer, Adam Lipson, declined to comment after the judge’s ruling, saying, “We’ll be fighting this case in court, not in the hallway.”
