Testimony expected to start Wednesday in trial of man who attacked Las Vegas judge

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man whose acrobatic vault over a judge’s bench — knocking the jurist to the ground, injuring her, and causing injury to a man who intervened in defense of her – stands trial Tuesday for attempted murder.

The case of Deobra Redden, 31, completed one day of jury selection and, if that process is completed by Wednesday, that newly-empaneled jury could hear attorneys’ opening statements immediately thereafter.

The 8 News Now Investigators broke the story and first disseminated the viral video that is the impetus for the charges against Redden, who is accused of trying to kill Eighth Judicial District Court judge Mary Kay Holthus in January. Holthus was in the process of sentencing Redden on a separate charge, indicating that she was about to levy some prison time on the three-time felon when – out of nowhere – he flew into the air and landed atop Holthus.

A police report originally obtained by the 8 News Now Investigators attributes Redden with saying he “had a bad day and tried to kill the judge.” Other documents indicate Redden threw Holthus to the ground – which is corroborated by the video – and “pulled the hair out of the left side of her head.”

Redden’s trial will occur before a different District Court judge, Susan Johnson, who in June sentenced the man who crashed into two Nevada state troopers in November 2023. Johnson sentenced that man, Jemarcus Williams, to between 16 and 40 years.

The state’s witness list includes Holthus, who has not yet spoken publicly. She did, however, testify before the grand jury who indicted Redden in February.

Holthus’ clerk, Michael Lasso, is also on that witness list. Lasso spoke with 8 News Now shortly after the attack on Holthus.

“He went, jumped over that defense desk,” Lasso explained, referencing the courtroom. “Kinda ran over here, hopped this, and that was where the judge was sitting.”

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