Attorney for man who attacked Las Vegas judge explains guilty but mentally ill plea

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The attorney for the man who attacked a Las Vegas judge said his client’s decision to plead guilty but mentally ill reflects both the seriousness of the case and his mental health struggles.

Deobra Redden, 31, pleaded guilty but mentally ill Thursday after Judge Mary Kay Holthus and her law clerk testified in his attempted murder trial. As part of the guilty plea, a different judge could sentence Redden to at least three years in prison.

As the 8 News Now Investigators first reported on Jan. 3, Redden, a three-time felon, was in Holthus’ courtroom for sentencing on a charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm. As Holthus was sentencing Redden, he dove over the bench and attacked her.

“We deeply respect the pain and trauma experienced by Judge Holthus, and we continue to express our utmost sympathy for her and her family,” Redden’s attorney, Carl Arnold, said in a statement Friday. “At the same time, we are committed to ensuring that Mr. Redden receives the appropriate legal and medical support he needs to address his mental health challenges. This plea reflects a delicate balance between accepting responsibility for a regrettable incident and recognizing the impact of Mr. Redden’s untreated mental illness at the time.”

Arnold also thanks the prosecutors “for their professionalism and willingness to negotiate this difficult criminal matter.”

Redden’s plea means he acknowledges what he did and the role his mental health played in it, Arnold said.

In court Wednesday, Arnold said his client did not intend to kill Holthus. Arnold said the jump lasted 3.7 seconds. He also said Redden was not on the medication prescribed to him during several months in a mental institution leading up to the January hearing before Holthus.

Holthus sentenced Redden a week after the attack as the interrupted hearing continued. Before sentencing Redden to 19-48 months in prison, Holthus said she did not modify or change her decision on his sentence because of the attack.

Under Nevada law, defense lawyers must prove their client is mentally ill when pleading guilty to the stipulation. The language means a judge could add mental health treatment as part of sentencing.

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