Paul Pelosi's attacker was sentenced to life in prison in a California trial

The man who broke into former Speaker Nancy Pelosi's home and attacked her husband with a hammer has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on state charges in California.

David DePape was also convicted on federal charges in May, resulting in a 30-year sentence that will now be served concurrently.

At the state trial, a jury in San Francisco found DePape guilty of kidnapping, first-degree burglary and false imprisonment of an elder. The attack left Paul Pelosi, now 84, hospitalized for six days with a fractured skull and other injuries.

In a statement after the verdict, the Pelosi family said “justice has been served.”

“Since the violent break-in and the shouts of 'Where's Nancy?' “Two years ago, not a day goes by that we don’t think about this devastating attack, its trauma – or the possibility of future attacks,” the family said.

They added that they hope the ruling sends a message “that political violence against elected officials or their family members will not be tolerated.”

An attorney for DePape said he plans to appeal Tuesday's ruling.

“This was a truly tragic end to a tragic story,” attorney Adam Lipson told reporters after the hearing.

Mr. Lipson had unsuccessfully persuaded the judge to impose a more lenient sentence, arguing that DePape suffered from mental health problems and isolation, which he said made him vulnerable to propaganda.

Judge Harry Dorfman declined, saying he had no sympathy for DePape.

“I feel compassion for the victim in this case, who is lucky to be alive,” Judge Dorfman said as he handed down his sentence. “It is my intention that Mr. DePape never gets out of prison, he can never be paroled.”

A video of the incident played during the earlier trial showed DePape, a Canadian citizen who has lived in the United States for two decades, entering the Pelosi House in California armed with a gavel on October 28, 2022 broke in.

DePape asked about Ms. Pelosi, who was not home when he confronted the lawmaker's husband in the couple's home.

When police officers arrived following a 911 call, they found Mr. Pelosi and DePape both holding the gavel.

Moments later – after being asked to drop the weapon – DePape abruptly punched Mr Pelosi before being tackled to the ground by officers. The incident was captured on officers' body cameras.

In addition to a fractured skull, Mr. Pelosi suffered injuries to his arm and hand. He was hit three times during the attack.

The attacker had admitted during his federal trial that he planned to take Ms. Pelosi hostage, interrogate her on camera and “break her kneecaps” if she didn't admit what he believed were lies.

Ms. Pelosi's daughter, Christine, read a letter from her father in which he said the attack had left him with nerve damage and that he was afraid to sleep alone at home.

When DePape got the chance to address the court during the state's trial, he spoke at length about conspiracy theories surrounding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to the Associated Press, whose reporters were present in the courtroom.

DePape also said he believed his government-appointed lawyers were conspiring against him, the AP reported, forcing the judge to interrupt him several times.