(StraightNews.org) – A convicted felon launched a ferocious attack on a judge in a Las Vegas courtroom while she was sentencing him. Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus was about to sentence 30-year-old Deobra Redden for attempted battery with substantial bodily harm when he lunged at her, jumping over the bench and knocking her from her chair. The judge suffered a mild head injury but was otherwise unharmed. The court’s marshal was also injured as he dashed to the Holthus’s rescue.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said, “Thank God for the heroic efforts of those who came to her aid, especially her marshal and her law clerk. Without them, the situation would have been much worse.”
Immediately before the incident, Redden stood before the judge and told her he should not be sent to prison despite his criminal history. Judge Holthus pointed out that he has a record including three felonies, nine misdemeanors, and “multiple DVs.” The convict tried to persuade Holthus that he was in a better place, his mental health had improved, and he had secured work.
Following pleas from both Redden and his attorney, the judge said she could not agree to probation based on his extensive criminal history and the number of opportunities he had already had to change his ways. Mr. Redden then launched across the room, calling the judge a “b*tch” and jumping over the bench to assault her.
Attacks on judges are not uncommon in the United States, and several have even been murdered. According to a 2021 report, there were 4,500 incidents that year involving violence or attempted violence against members of the US judiciary.
James T. Richardson, a sociology and judicial studies professor at the University of Nevada, said, “Being a judge is a very trying occupation, and it takes its toll on many.” He made the remarks after Maryland Circuit Court judge Andrew Wilkinson was shot outside his home by homicide suspect Pedro Manuel Argote.
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