Bodycam footage released of Paul Pelosi’s October attack still does not adequately answer why NBC News pulled a report by Miguel Almaguer that immediately went viral concerning the facts surrounding the assault.
(Video Credit: Fox 26 Houston)
Almaguer’s report was retracted without explanation after it was sent out. It questioned exactly what was happening between Paul Pelosi and David DePape when police arrived at his San Francisco home that night. All NBC News said at the time was that it did not meet their standards. The reporter mysteriously disappeared from the network and from public view.
Eventually, it was revealed that Almaguer had been suspended over the report. The rumor mill kicked into hyperdrive over the incident because of a lack of transparency from NBC News over the incident.
In his report, Almaguer noted that officers seemed to be unaware they were called to the actual residence of Pelosi. This is not clarified in the bodycam footage. The officers did not mention it was Pelosi’s residence.
The NBC journalist reported that after a “knock and announce,” the front door was opened by Paul Pelosi. He “did not immediately declare an emergency or leave his home,” according to Almaguer’s report, which is accurate as seen in the footage.
Paul Pelosi footage released… raises even more questionshttps://t.co/LNHURY67vH
— American Wire News (@americanwire_) January 28, 2023
Pelosi did not try to leave or declare an emergency. He was holding the hammer with the suspect and appeared to be attempting to keep him from attacking with it. In his other hand, he was holding a drink of some kind, which was strange all by itself. The video shows that Pelosi seemed to be under duress.
Almaguer’s report also stated that Pelosi “walked several feet” back toward the assailant and away from the police which does not appear to be the case. The two men were side by side in the doorway in front of the officers.
NBC News and Almaguer are both keeping silent on the issue, according to Fox News.
“It’s unclear if the 82-year-old was already injured or what his mental state was,” Almaguer claimed in his report. That is also accurate.
The report correctly cited “court documents” that indicated DePape smiled while telling the officer “everything’s good” but “instantaneously a struggle ensued as police clearly saw David DePape strike Paul Pelosi in the head with a hammer.” That was confirmed by the bodycam footage.
In removing it from their Twitter account and website, NBC News says "the piece should not have aired because it did not meet NBC News reporting standards."
Will Almaguer face a suspension or punishment? What about his producers? Will they give an on-air correction? (2/2) pic.twitter.com/x5KXBJRdw1
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 4, 2022
Police told DePape to “drop the hammer” in the video and he responded, “Um, nope.” A struggle between DePape and Pelosi ensued. Pelosi said, “Hey, hey, hey,” and DePape appeared to immediately attack him with the hammer.
“After tackling the suspect, officers rushed to Mr. Pelosi, who was lying in a pool of blood,” Almaguer correctly stated in his report. “We still don’t know exactly what happened between Mr. Pelosi and the suspect for the 30 minutes they were alone inside that house before police arrived.”
It is unclear what portion of Almaguer’s report caused it to be retracted by NBC News. According to Fox News Digital, an insider at the network in December said that the news division was furious the story ever made it to air and that its procedural safeguards had been ignored.
Fox News reported on the footage, “San Francisco County Superior Court made the bodycam footage public after Judge Stephen Murphy denied a request two days earlier by prosecutors to keep it secret. US Capitol Police surveillance footage capturing the moment when DePape allegedly entered the home was also released on Friday. The footage shows DePape scoping out the glass door he allegedly broke to get into the home before disappearing and coming back with two bags, pulling an object out of the smaller bag and moving it into the larger bag.”
After that, the suspect reportedly retrieved a hammer and used it to break the glass door and enter Pelosi’s home.
DePape has pleaded not guilty to all state charges in the case, including attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and elder abuse. He has also pleaded not guilty to federal charges of assaulting an immediate family member of a federal official and attempted kidnapping of a federal officer for the alleged home invasion.
Fox News host Tucker Carlson and numerous conservatives contend that the bodycam footage “completely vindicates” Miguel Almaguer.
(Video Credit: Fox News)
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