A Nevada judge in a Democratic-controlled county was attacked Wednesday by a serial criminal facing the consequences of his actions for the first time after over a decade of mayhem.
The defendant leaped over a defense table and the judge’s bench when she started to sentence him to jail, landing atop her and sparking a bloody brawl involving court officials and attorneys.
In a violent scene captured by courtroom video, Clark County District Judge Mary Kay Holthus fell back from her seat against a wall and suffered some injuries but was not hospitalized, courthouse officials said. Clark County hasn’t voted for a Republican in a presidential election since former President George W. Bush in 1988.
The attack came after a decade of violence and convictions for Deobra Delone Redden, 30, who has rarely been sentenced to any prison time despite numerous convictions for assaults, domestic violence, and robbery since 2012.
During that time period, Redden had faced Holthus multiple times where she had released him once without bail, once on probation, and once to county jail.
Local Nevada station 8 News Now listed Redden’s long history of violence – and the court systems continued leniency.
In 2012, Redden was convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member. A judge sentenced him to 45 days in jail [at the] time, documents said.
In 2013, Redden was convicted three times for domestic battery, documents said. He was ordered to attend anger management classes, spend two months in jail and pay a fine in the three cases.
In 2014, Redden was convicted for attempted theft, documents said. A judge sentenced him to probation, which he violated several times. Redden then entered a mental health court program.
While on probation, Redden was twice convicted of domestic battery, tampered with his alcohol monitoring bracelet and violated other terms, documents said.
He was also charged with kicking a police officer in the knee.
Also, during his probation in 2018, Redden was convicted of battery with substantial bodily harm. In that case, he bit a woman and broke the windows of a man’s car with a rock, documents said. Again, a judge sentenced Redden to probation. A judge honorably discharged him from probation in 2020 and 2021.
In 2021, Redden was convicted again for domestic battery. In that case, a different judge sentenced Redden to prison for a term of 12-30 months. A board granted Redden parole in 2022.
Also in 2021, police charged Redden with attempted home invasion and destroying the property of another person, documents said. It was unclear if Redden’s arrest for these charges happened before he was remanded into custody.
In January 2023, Redden appeared before Holthus on the 2021 charges. Redden pleaded guilty and Holthus released him without having to pay bail. That February, Holthus sentenced Redden to a year of probation, records said. Redden violated his probation in October, and Holthus ordered him to serve 106 days in jail. It was unclear why Redden was released before the Jan. 3 incident or if he even served any of the jail time.
On April 23, Redden “[threatened] to bust the kneecaps” of another man with a baseball bat, “resulting in substantial bodily harm,” documents said.
In May, a different judge ordered Redden to undergo a competency determination, records said. Redden was then committed to a state behavioral facility. A judge then found Redden competent in October.
Redden pleaded guilty in November. Judge Holthus issued a bench warrant for his arrest in December after he missed a court appearance.
During Wednesday’s court appearance, Redden’s attorney asked Holthus to sentence his client to probation. The prosecutors asked Holthus to sentence Redden to 19-48 months in prison.
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Redden is shown in the video arguing that he’s no longer violent despite 11 years of criminal offfenses. He claims he’s addressed his mental health issues and has a new job with a local union.
“Basically, I would like to tell the courts and everyone here,” Redden told Holtus. “That based on my criminal history, I feel that like I shouldn’t be sent to prison for a sentence time.”
“Have you looked at your criminal history?” she responded.
“I looked at it. I just looked at it,” Redden said.
“You lived it, I suppose,” Holthus said. “Three felonies, a gross [misdemeanor], nine misdemeanors, multiple [domestic violence convictions]. You have got a lot going on, sir.”
“I’m at a better place in my mind, in my mental health,” Redden is shown saying. “I have a support system. I just got hired a Teamster for the union, making $20 an hour. The reason behind every single domestic violence, is I’ve been dealing with mental health. And I didn’t know that I was dealing with mental health. They put me in mental health court and I still didn’t know that I had mental health problem.”
“I feel like I shouldn’t be sent to prison,” Redden said. “But if it’s appropriate, then you have to do what you have to do.”
Redden’s attorney spoke to the judge and repeated the defense’s request that his client be given yet another probation.
“I appreciate that, but I think it’s about time he gets a taste of something else, because I just can’t with that history,” Holthus replied, preparing to sentence Redden to jail time. “Accordance with the laws of the State of Nevada, this court…”
When a bailiff moved in to handcuff Redden, he attacked the judge.
“Nah, f*** that b***h!” Redden exclaims and leaps over the judge’s bench, tackling a stunned Houthus.
A brawl breaks out between Redden and various attorneys and deputies.
Watch the shocking video —
🚨 WILD VIDEO: Las Vegas judge gets tackled by a felon in court during sentencing
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 3, 2024