Man Who Was Denied Probation Attacked on Las Vegas Judge

A man who had been turned down for probation struck a judge in a Nevada courtroom on Wednesday while he was being sentenced. The attack was so violent that it was caught on video.

The 30-year-old man, Deobra Redden, pleaded guilty to attempted battery with substantial physical harm and was in court in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning for his sentencing hearing. This was announced by a spokeswoman for the Eighth Judicial District Court.

A video of the hearing went viral on social media, and it shows Mr. Redden jumping over a courtroom bench and landing on Judge Mary Kay Holthus. The video shows flags behind the bench falling to the ground. In the video, Judge Holthus and Mr. Redden can't see each other for a short time because the bench is in the way. In the background, angry words can be heard. A few seconds later, three guys can be seen punching Mr. Redden over and over while trying to restrain him.

Man Attacked on Las Vegas JudgePhoto bynytimes

A spokeswoman for the court said that Judge Holthus, 62, was hurt and that her health was being watched. A court guard was also hurt and taken to the hospital, where the spokeswoman said he was thought to be in stable condition.

"We praise the bravery of her staff, the police, and everyone else who helped restrain the defendant," the Eighth Judicial District Court said in a statement. "The court is still committed to keeping the courthouse and courtrooms safe." We are going over all of our rules again and will do whatever it takes to keep the public, the courts, and our workers safe.

Judge Holthus and Mr. Redden's lawyer did not answer right away when asked for comments on Wednesday.

Police in Las Vegas said that officers were looking into a fight that happened at the courthouse on Wednesday morning. The Police Department said in a statement that the suspect was in arrest but did not name anyone involved in the attack. They also said that two people were taken to the University Medical Center with injuries that were not life-threatening.

His lawyer asked Judge Holthus to give Mr. Redden probation right before he jumped over the bench. Judge Holthus said, "I appreciate that, but I think it's time for him to try something else." She then continued with her sentence.

Justice Holthus said, "I just can't with that history," which seemed to be a reference to Mr. Redden's jail time.

According to court records, Mr. Redden has been to jail before. For example, in 2015, he was given a minimum sentence of 19 months for trying to steal something. Nevada Department of Corrections records show that Mr. Redden did time for domestic abuse in 2021.

It is said that Judge Holthus started working as a judge in Clark County in January 2019. Before that, he spent more than 27 years working for the Clark County District Attorney's Office.

The Eighth Judicial District Court's rules say that people who want to enter a Clark County courtroom must be searched for weapons and other illegal things. People who come to the courts are also asked to be quiet.

There is usually some protection at courthouses, but there have been times when security guards have also been attacked. The Justice Department says that a man was given 46 months in jail last year for attacking a court security officer at the Lloyd D. George Federal Courthouse in Las Vegas in 2022.

The Source:

nytimes