Defendant caught on video attacking Las Vegas judge to return to court for sentencing
A man who “supermanned" over a courtroom bench and attacked a Las Vegas judge as she was sentencing him last week is due back in court Monday to be punished for his original felony conviction.
Deobra Delone Redden, who appeared in Clark County District Court on Jan. 3 for sentencing on an attempted battery charge, was captured on court video running towards Judge Mary Kay Holthus, flinging himself over the bench, pulling her to the floor by her hair.
Footage shows at least three other people in the courtroom work to pull the 30-year-old defendant off the stunned judge. One, a court clerk, is seen repeatedly punching a combative Redden.
The judge suffered minor injuries, a clerk suffered a cuts to his hand, and a courtroom deputy suffered a gash to his head and a dislocated shoulder and had to be hospitalized, the Associated Press reported. The judge returned to work the day after the attack.
The attack took place while Redden was being sentenced on one count of attempted battery causing substantial bodily harm.
During the hearing, Redden, who has previously served prison time for violent offenses, told the judge he was "trying" to do better. She immediately responded "I appreciate that, but I think it's time that you get a taste of something else because I just can't with (your) history."
The court’s chief judge, Jerry Wiese, said Redden then "supermanned over the judicial bench” to get to the judge, the AP reported.
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Sentencing in initial case reset
During Monday morning's appearance, the judge is expected to continue sentencing in Redden’s initial battery case.
Court records show he was initially charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon in connection to a baseball bat attack. In November, Redden pleaded guilty to a reduced battery charged and was released from custody under a deal between prosecutors and his defense attorney.
Nevada Department of Corrections records show that in 2021, Redden also served prison time following a third-offense domestic battery conviction.
Redden, who was free on bond at the time of the attack on the judge, was taken to jail but refused to return to court the next day on more than a dozen new charges in connection to the attack, the AP reported.
Captured on video:Man who attacked Las Vegas judge in shocking video faces 13 new charges
The 13 new charges
Clark County records also show Redden is also set to reappear in court Tuesday to face 13 new charges stemming from the attack including coercion with force, intimidation of a public officer, extortion, and multiple counts of battery on a protected person.
Holthus was elected in 2018 after working for the district attorney’s office for more than 27 years, including 16 years as a prosecutor on the special victims' unit, according to the District Court’s website.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.