He had named other federal and state politicians and other people he wanted to target, the prosecutor’s arrest warrant said. In his testimony, the suspect stated that he “didn’t really want to hurt Paul Pelosi” but that he was a “suicide squad”: “I’m not going to stand here and do nothing, even if it costs me my life,” the suspect told police.
Pelosi, 82, suffered a fractured skull from a hammer blow at her home in San Francisco, California, on Friday night. Prosecutor Brooke Jenkins told CNN that the attacker had targeted other employees, “obviously he showed up at the House of Representatives house first,” she said. In any case, the attack was committed intentionally. “It wasn’t something he did spontaneously,” Jenkins argued.
AP/Noah Berger District Attorney Jenkins speaks of a premeditated act
Suspect wanted to break Nancy Pelosi’s kneecaps
A court document released Monday (local time) shows the man planned to take Nancy Pelosi hostage and break her kneecaps. He wanted to force the Democrat into a wheelchair to show other lawmakers that their “actions have consequences,” he told police. The politician was in Washington at the time of the crime and was not at home.
Lawyer pleads not guilty
The suspect’s lawyer pleaded not guilty at Tuesday’s brief hearing and said he would assess his client’s “vulnerability” to “political disinformation” and his mental state for the defence. He pointed to the thesis espoused by extremism experts that hate speech spread online and by public figures can inspire some mentally unstable individuals to engage in political violence.
Pelosi’s attacker pleads not guilty
After the attack on the husband of prominent US politician Nancy Pelosi, the alleged perpetrator appeared in court for the first time. His lawyer, Adam Lipson, pleaded not guilty during the brief San Francisco hearing. Lipson said he would assess his client’s “vulnerability” to “political disinformation” and his mental health for the defense.
The 42-year-old is accused of, among other things, attempted murder, theft, abuse and deprivation of liberty of an elderly person and threatening an employee. The court initially decided to detain the man without bail. He could face decades in prison if he is convicted, according to the US Department of Justice.
Police demand additional protection
Capitol Police in Washington are calling for additional protective measures for members of parliament and senators because of the heated atmosphere. Across the country, authorities are investigating thousands of cases to stop potential threats. A presidential spokeswoman said the government takes the warning very seriously.
more on the subject
Obama as a Clown for Democrats
According to Tom Manger, Chief of Police at the US Capitol, some improvements have been made since the Capitol attack, including the hiring of nearly 280 officers by the end of the year, but there is still work to be done. “We believe today’s political climate calls for more resources to provide additional safeguards for members of Congress.”
Cameras recorded theft in Pelosis
According to a Washington Post report, the break-in at the Pelosis home was captured on camera. Capitol Police, who watched live surveillance footage from 1,800 cameras of the Capitol area and several other locations across the United States, had access to the footage. According to the report, a police officer noticed a police car near the house in San Francisco and saw in other camera angles a man with a hammer breaking a windowpane.
Effects on election campaigns
In the heated campaign for next week’s congressional elections, some Republican politicians referred to Pelosi’s attack and abused him for mocking remarks. Republican Kari Lake, for example, spoke about protecting schools from bullies during a campaign appearance in Arizona on Monday (local time) and joked about the attack on Paul Pelosi.
Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin also referred to the Pelosi couple: “There is no place for violence anywhere – but we will send her back so she can be in California with him.” Republicans have a good chance of winning a majority in the House of Representatives.