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Pelosi thanks supporters for well-wishes
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has rallied grassroots organizers on a video call in her first public appearance since the brutal attack on her husband. Pelosi said Friday the midterm race for control of Congress is a fight for democracy and "very winnable."
Nancy Pelosi spoke in a video Friday about her husband who was attacked in their San Francisco home by an intruder wielding a hammer.
At the Pelosi home, KTVU has seen the continued high-security presence in the area, and now the speaker herself is saying Paul Pelosi is recovering at home, and the family is hopeful for a speedy recovery.
Friday afternoon, Pelosi left her home in the Pacific Heights neighborhood, but not before recording a message about her husband.
"Paul came home yesterday that enables me to be at home with all of you," said Pelosi. "Thank you, thank you, thank you for your kind words, your prayers and your good wishes for Paul. It's going to be a long haul, but he will be well."
Earlier Friday, attorneys for David DePape, the man accused of attacking Paul Pelosi, appeared in court, working with prosecutors and setting December 14 as the day for a preliminary hearing to determine if there is enough evidence to proceed to trial.
"At this point we will be determining what witnesses we need to call," said San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. "Whether we call a victim, whether we call the 911 dispatcher, whether we present certain evidence. So there could be a number of witnesses that testify at that hearing."
The DA said at that same hearing the judge will consider the prosecution's argument for continuing to hold DePape in custody without bail.
"We've made the facts clear that we're going to release at this point," said Jenkins. "Which is in our motion to detain, which is that Mr. Pelosi opened the door, they were both holding a hammer, and the police observed Mr. DePape pull that hammer away and strike Mr. Pelosi. That is the most that we are going to say at this point."
Christine Pelosi, one of Paul and Nancy Pelosi's daughters, attended Friday's hearing. The judge, advising attorneys in court that she and Christine Pelosi both worked together in the city attorney's office in he 1990s. No word at this time if DePape's defense team will ask the judge to recuse herself because of that pre-existing relationship.
DePape's defense team referred KTVU to a statement reading in part; "Given the high-profile nature of the parties involved, I want to acknowledge that there are a lot of rumors and speculation about this incident that will need to be sorted out in court once we review the evidence."
At the same time this case is developing in San Francisco Superior Court, federal investigators are also preparing their case. KTVU did reach out to the Department of Justice, so far still no word on when David DePape may be formally charged in federal court or make an appearance.