In a shocking turn of events, Paul Pelosi, husband of former US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, has taken the stand to testify against David DePape, a man accused of breaking into their San Francisco home and attacking him. DePape is facing two federal charges, one count of attempted kidnapping of a federal official and one count of assaulting a federal official's family member.

During his testimony, Mr. Pelosi revealed that DePape had been motivated by conspiracy theories about Mrs. Pelosi, stating that he had been looking for his wife and had intended to "take her out" during the attack. Mr. Pelosi recounted the terrifying moment he woke up to find DePape standing in the doorway, armed with a hammer and zip ties. He described feeling an intense shock and realizing he was in serious danger.

The incident, which occurred on October 28th of last year, resulted in Mr. Pelosi spending six days in the hospital with a fractured skull, as well as injuries to his arm and hand. Court documents revealed that DePape had broken into the Pelosi home using a hammer, and when officers arrived in response to a 911 call from Mr. Pelosi, they found both men gripping a hammer. DePape resisted when asked to drop the weapon and abruptly swung it at Mr. Pelosi before being subdued by the officers.

Jurors were shown body camera footage of the encounter, which captured the terrifying moments of the attack. An FBI special agent testified that the footage showed DePape striking Mr. Pelosi three times with the hammer. In a disturbing twist, it was revealed that DePape had allegedly told investigators that he had a "target list" and planned to hold Mrs. Pelosi captive and break "her kneecaps" if she did not reveal "the truth." He referred to her as the "leader of the pack of lies."

DePape's defense attorney, Jodi Linker, attempted to argue that her client's actions were not motivated by Mrs. Pelosi's political status but rather by his belief in conspiracy theories. However, prosecutors asserted that he had been part of a "plan of violence" and presented evidence that DePape was in possession of zip ties and duct tape at the time of his arrest.

In addition to the federal charges, DePape is also facing separate state charges, including attempted murder, residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, and threats to a public official. If convicted on these more serious charges, he could face life in prison.

Throughout the trial, Mr. Pelosi has expressed his desire to put the incident behind him and has not discussed it with anyone, including his family. However, he felt compelled to speak about the incident during the trial, stating that he had made every effort to not relive the terrifying experience.

As the trial continues, the shocking details of the attack on the Pelosi family have captured national attention. The case highlights the dangers of conspiracy theories and the potential for violence when individuals become consumed by extremist beliefs.