A defendant, Deobra Redden, facing prison time for a felony battery charge stemming from a baseball bat attack last year, was captured in courtroom video leaping over a judge’s bench and attacking her, touching off a bloody brawl, in a Las Vegas courtroom. Redden tried to convince Judge Mary Kay Holthus that he was turning around his violent past and asked for leniency while describing himself as “a person who never stops trying to do the right thing no matter how hard it is.” When the judge announced that she was going to sentence him to prison time and the court marshal moved to handcuff and take him into custody, Redden yelled expletives and charged forward, leading to a terrifying and chaotic scene in the courtroom.
Video evidence revealed that Redden leaped over the judge’s bench, landed atop Holthus, and grabbed her hair, triggering a brawl involving the judge, her clerk, Michael Lasso, and several court and jail officers, some of whom threw punches. While Holthus suffered some injuries, she was back to work the next day. Redden was jailed on bail in connection with the attack and faces new charges including extortion, coercion with force, and battery on a protected person. Holthus is expected to continue sentencing in Redden’s other case at his next court appearance.
Steve Wolfson, the district attorney, revealed that Redden’s criminal record is marked by violent offenses, including three prior felonies and nine misdemeanors, with a history of violent behavior throughout his adult life. Redden was not shackled or wearing jail attire at the time of the attack because he had been released from custody while awaiting sentencing. This incident highlights the urgent need for the criminal justice system to address the safety of judges and everyone present in courtrooms, especially when dealing with volatile and dangerous individuals.
