Footage has surfaced of an incident during a Wednesday hearing in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas.
Deobra Redden, who had previously been convicted of three felonies, was being sentenced by Judge Mary Kay Holthus for the crime of aggravated battery with substantial bodily harm.
He had entered a plea of guilty during the proceedings.
Redden’s attorney appealed to the judge to issue probation and grant bail for his client, considering his criminal history. However, this request was not welcomed, resulting in Redden launching an attack on the judge.
Judge Holtus decided that would prove unwise, though. She says in the video, “I think it’s time he (Redden) gets a taste of something else.”
Redden reacted to the judge’s decision with a violent outburst. He hurled multiple profanities before leaping over the bench and physically attacking her. Witnesses reported hearing repeated punches and expletives as security personnel attempted to restrain him.
The altercation also included Holtus’ law clerk and the court bailiff, who eventually managed to subdue Redden.
An alarm sounded for several minutes during the event before it finally came to an end.
KTNV was first to capture footage of the incident, which has since been widely circulated online.
WATCH:
KTNV reported that Judge Holtus was subjected to an unprovoked assault, but thankfully escaped with relatively minor injuries. Steve Wolfson, the Clark County District Attorney, expressed his gratitude for those who came to her aid and that she was able to escape without severe harm. However, a district court marshal has been hospitalized as a result of the incident.
Thank God the judge is okay. Thank God for the heroic efforts of those who came to her aid, especially her marshal and law clerk.
Without them, the situation would have been much worse as this defendant exhibited extremely violent behavior, and I’m confident there will be consequences.
TMZ notes that Redden has had numerous run-ins with the law, including a history with Judge Holthus. According to KLAS, he previously appeared in front of her on charges of malicious destruction of property and served one year in prison on a separate domestic battery charge starting in 2021.
On April 23, 2023, Redden was accused of threatening to break a man’s kneecaps which resulted in substantial bodily harm. In May, another judge ordered Redden to undergo a competency determination and he was subsequently committed to a state behavioral facility.
After being found competent by yet another judge in October, he pleaded guilty the following month. However, when Redden failed to appear for his court date in December, Judge Holthus issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
