Questions that STILL remain after Paul Pelosi police bodycam footage of hammer ... trends now
The dramatic police bodycam footage showing the violent attack on Paul Pelosi finally provides a glimpse of the incident which triggered a string of conspiracy theories.
A court ordered the release of the video despite protests from the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, who said it could be manipulated to spread misinformation.
Ironically, the delay in sharing the footage prompted a stream of speculation and some baseless claims about the attack.
In the footage, we see the moment police officers Kolby Wilmes and Kyle Cagney approached the grandiose Pelosi residence at around 2:31am on Friday, October 28, after Paul Pelosi dialed 911.
Previous court documents have revealed his attacker, David DePape, smashed a downstairs window to gain entry to the mansion while Pelosi was asleep upstairs.
After a confrontation in which DePape said he was searching for Nancy, Paul Pelosi was able to make the 911 call at 2.23am - a transcript of which was also released today - from his bathroom.
The bodycam video shows Wilmes and Colby approach the entrance to the property and knock several times. It takes about 17 seconds before the door is answered and the officers are faced with Pelosi and DePape stood side-by-side in the hallway of the home.
DePape is wielding the hammer and Pelosi appears to be holding onto it with his right hand. Pelosi is also holding a drink and at one point appears to smile as an officer asks: 'What's going on, man?'
DePape responds, 'everything's good', before an officer shines a flashlight which shows the hammer. Police then order DePape to 'drop the hammer' but he responds, 'erm, nope', and after a brief struggle with Pelosi, unleashes the brutal attack.
A key question that was raised before the video's release was why Pelosi didn't immediately tell police it was an emergency and that he was in danger. The incident was perceived as unusual because the attack came after police arrived.
The video appears to show that Pelosi had been attempting to keep DePape calm before police arrived and was reluctant to do anything that might aggravate his attacker.
Pelosi is holding a drink and smiles at the police officers after answering the door - but he also has a hand on DePape's hammer, apparently trying to prevent an attack
There are only a matter second between the door being answered and DePape launching his attack. Pelosi attempts to wrestle the hammer from DePape's hands - and by the time police storm into the property, it's too late to stop the attacker striking Pelosi over the head
Paul Pelosi was left unconscious after he was struck with the hammer, before the officers rush in and arrested DePape
He keeps one hand on the hammer in DePape's hand, apparently in an attempt to prevent the attack.
The responding officers were seemingly unaware exactly what was going on in the home before they arrived - and despite their efforts to make DePape drop the weapon, the attack unfolds quickly.
Nevertheless, there was a split-second when the officers could have rushed at DePape before he was able to land the devastating strike which fractured Pelosi's skull.
Pelosi's smile and seemingly relaxed nature, along with the drink in his hand, also raise questions about what happened before officers arrived.
Aerial footage showed broken panes and shatter glass at the backdoor of Pelosi's home, where DePape gained entry. Some commentators said the glass scattered outside of the property suggested it could have been broken from outside
Further footage revealed today shows DePape scoped out the Pelosi home before returning with the tools to break in by smashing a window and climbing through
David DePape has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges stemming from the October assault
FBI agents work outside the home of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi where her husband Paul Pelosi was 'violently assaulted' after a break-in at their house
Other disproven theories have suggested Paul Pelosi knew his attacker. High-profile figures including Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. shared posts on Twitter which alluded to outrageous conspiracy theories about a so-called relationship between DePape and Pelosi.
The 911 call reveals Pelosi told operator Heather Grimes he didn't know the man who broke into his home. Pelosi tells Grimes that the man, who is heard on the call saying his name is David, was looking for Nancy.
Pelosi tells the operator, 'I've got a problem' and adds: 'There is a gentleman here waiting for my wife to
