Defendant Who Attacked Las Vegas Judge Sentenced To Four Years For Initial Felony

Five days after Deobra Redden leaped over the bench to attack a Las Vegas judge, he stood before the same woman — only this time, the 30-year-old’s wrists were chained to his body while court officers stood on each side of him.

With added security, Redden’s sentence hearing resumed Monday, and Judge Mary Kay Holthus sentenced Redden to 19 to 48 months in prison on a previous charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm.

Redden faces 13 new charges following the courtroom attack, which was captured on video that has been viewed more than 105 million times. Holthus said the incident did not affect Monday’s decision.

“Any other issues that may arise from the events that occurred last Wednesday will be handled at a future date by a different court,” Holthus said in the courtroom, according to a video of the hearing by KSNV. “For purposes of the record, I want to make it clear that I am not changing or modifying the sentence I was in the process of imposing last week before I was interrupted by defendant’s actions.”

Deobra Redden, 30, leapt over the bench to attack Judge Mary Kay Holthus during his sentencing hearing in Las Vegas on Jan. 3 after being denied probation.

Redden’s attorney, Caesar Almase, declined to comment through his law firm’s receptionist on Monday.

On Wednesday, Almase requested that Redden, who had served time in prison for attempted theft and domestic battery, be granted a probation sentence for his April attempted battery charge, according to courtroom video. Holthus declined, telling Almase:

“I appreciate that, but I think it’s time that he gets a taste of something else because I just can’t with that history,” courtroom video showed.

A few seconds later, Redden ran toward the bench as Holthus looked up and others in the courtroom yelled, footage showed. Redden leaped over the bench and tackled Holthus to the ground as two flags behind the judge fell. Two people then pulled Redden away from Holthus.

Holthus and a courtroom marshal were injured and taken to a hospital, Eighth Judicial District Court spokeswoman Mary Ann Price said in a statement that day. Holthus, who became a judge in 2019 after working more than two decades for the Clark County district attorney’s office, was released Thursday, Price said.

The courtroom marshal was treated for a head injury; a law clerk was treated for hand abrasions, Jerry Wiese II, the court’s chief judge, said at a news conference Thursday. Wiese added that the court had requested more security personnel in its courtrooms.

“Our whole goal is to maintain the public trust and confidence in the court system and let people know that it is a safe place to be, and this is not going to happen again,” Wiese said.

Redden was charged last week with coercion with force or a threat of force, extortion, intimidating a public officer with a threat of force, disregarding the safety of a person resulting in significant bodily harm, battery by a probationer or parolee, an unlawful act regarding fluid by a prisoner in confinement, and seven counts of battery on a protected person, according to Clark County Detention Center’s online records. Bail was set at $54,000, jail records show.

On Monday, about a dozen court officers stood near Redden during his hearing. He wore a black mesh mask and orange restrictive gloves.

“When we were last here, arguments were concluded and the court had begun to pronounce sentence when an incident occurred,” Holthus said.

She added: “An incident initiated by Mr. Redden, preventing the court from completing sentencing.”

After the roughly two-minute sentencing, court officers escorted Redden out of the courtroom. Jail records show his first court appearance for last week’s charges is scheduled for Tuesday.