Man Who Lunged at Las Vegas Judge Brought Back to Court in Shackles, Mask and Prison Mitts
Editor’s Note: Our readers responded strongly to this story when it originally ran; we’re reposting it here in case you missed it.
The same judge accosted by a defendant in a Las Vegas courtroom on Jan. 3 sentenced her attacker on Jan. 8 to up to four years in prison in an unrelated case.
Deobra Delone Redden leaped over the bench and attacked Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus in her courtroom on Jan. 3 after trying to convince the judge he was turning around his violent past.
The sentence handed down Jan. 8 was in connection with a baseball bat attack on a person last year.
Redden stood in court in shackles with a mask on his face and orange mitts on his hands, flanked by a group of jail officers.
His lawyer, Caesar Almase, declined to comment outside the courtroom.
In the attack the week before, Redden had to be wrestled off the judge by several court and jail officers and courtroom staff members — including some who were seen throwing punches.
One courtroom marshal was hospitalized for treatment of a bleeding gash on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder.
Redden launched himself at the judge just after asking for leniency and describing himself as “a person who never stops trying to do the right thing no matter how hard it is.”
When it became clear Holthus was going to sentence him to prison time, the court marshal moved to handcuff Redden and take him into custody. That’s when the defendant started yelling expletives and charged forward as people in the courtroom audience began to scream.
Redden vaulted a defense table, dove over the judge’s bench and landed atop Holthus.
The video showed the judge falling back against a wall and an American flag toppling on them.
WARNING: The following video contains violence that some viewers may find disturbing.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Clark County Judge Mary Kay Holthus was about to levy her sentencing decision for convicted felon Deobra Redden when he ran up to the bench and jumped over furniture to assault her in this dramatic courtroom video pic.twitter.com/rfCU03Mvft— Reuters (@Reuters) January 4, 2024
Redden “supermanned over the judicial bench,” Jerry Wiese, the court’s chief judge, said in describing the event.
Holthus suffered some injuries but was back to work the next day.
Wiese credited court clerk Michael Lasso for acting quickly to protect the judge, saying he was the “primary person” who pulled Redden off “and probably kept her from having more severe injuries.”
Redden has a long criminal history that includes numerous violent offenses.
The Western Journal has reviewed this Associated Press story and may have altered it prior to publication to ensure that it meets our editorial standards.
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