Felon who attacked judge in wild courtroom video will face her again

‘He’s been violent his entire adult life,’ District Attorney Steve Wolfson says

A Las Vegas felon who attacked a judge as she was sentencing him was set to appear before her again.

The Clark County district judge Mary Kay Holthus was telling Deobra Delone Redden, 30, his sentence when he leaped over the defence table and the judge’s bench before landing on her.

Redden, who was facing prison time for a felony battery charge stemming from a baseball bat attack last year, had been trying to convince Ms Holthus that he was turning around his violent past.

The 30-year-old asked for leniency while describing himself as “a person who never stops trying to do the right thing no matter how hard it is.”

“I’m not a rebellious person,” he told the judge, later adding that he doesn’t think he needs a prison sentence.

“But if it’s appropriate for you, then you have to do what you have to do.”

Deobra Delone Redden leaps at Judge Mary Kay Holthus

However, when it became clear Judge Holthus was going to sentence him to prison time, and a court marshal moved to put handcuffs on him, he leapt at the judge, slamming her head against a wall, and striking her once before pulling some of her hair out, according to documents obtained by 8 News Now.

She then hid under her desk, “balled up covering her face”, while he was wrestled to the floor by court officials, who were seen throwing punches.

Redden was not in custody at the time of the attack so he was not shackled.

Following the attack, Redden allegedly told corrections officers that he was having a bad day and wanted to kill her, the documents reveal. He also allegedly told an officer “Judge has it out for me” and “Judge is evil.”

Redden was jailed on $54,000 bail in connection with the attack and now faces charges of extortion, coercion with force and battery on a protected person, referring to the judge and the officers who came to her aid.

Redden speaking to the judge before attacking her

Judge Holthus suffered minor injuries as a result of the attack but was back to work the next day, chief judge Jerry Wiese said at a conference on Thursday.

On Monday, she was expected to continue sentencing in Redden’s case involving the baseball bat attack.

The 30-year-old was initially charged with assault but reached a deal with prosecutors and pleaded guilty in November to a reduced charge of attempted battery resulting in substantial injuries.

Redden’s criminal record is marked by mostly violent offences and includes prior convictions for three felonies and nine misdemeanors, District Attorney Steve Wolfson said.

“He’s been violent his entire adult life,” Mr Wolfson said.