Man who attacked Las Vegas judge indicted on attempted murder charge

A grand jury in Nevada on Thursday indicted a man who was captured in a viral video leaping over a courtroom bench to attack a Las Vegas judge on nine counts, including attempted murder.

In early January, 30-year-old Deobra Redden hurled himself over Judge Mary Kay Holthus’s bench with his arms outstretched before she had a chance to deliver his sentence in an attempted battery case. The new indictment accused Redden of placing his hands around Holthus’s throat and hitting her head. Video of the scene was shared widely across social media, garnering millions of views within hours of the hearing.

The counts in Thursday’s indictment also include battery on a protected person and intimidating a public officer, online court records show. If convicted, Redden could face up to 20 years in prison. Nevada law includes a penalty of one to 20 years in prison for certain felonies against victims 60 years or older.

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An attorney who represented Redden during the Jan. 3 sentencing hearing did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday evening.

At the hearing, Holthus was set to sentence Redden for an attempted battery charge that he pleaded guilty to in November. Redden had previously served time in prison for attempted theft and domestic battery, according to court records.

Just before the attack, Redden’s attorney requested a probation sentence, courtroom video shows. Holthus denied the request.

“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,” she said in the video.

Shortly after, Redden ran toward Holthus, causing courtroom attendees to yell and Holthus to look up from her bench.

Holthus tried to scramble out of her chair as Redden jumped over the bench, the flags on either side of the judge falling to the floor, and Redden grabbing ahold of Holthus. The judge and a courtroom marshal suffered injuries and were taken to a hospital, according to a spokeswoman for the Eighth Judicial District Court.

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Five days later, Holthus resumed Redden’s sentencing.

The attack, she said on Jan. 8, did not impact her decision. She sentenced Redden, who wore restrictive gloves and a black mesh mask at the hearing, to 19 to 48 months in prison for the charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm.

“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, 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.”

During the Jan. 3 attack, Redden was allegedly “grabbing [Holthus], pulling her hair, placing his hands around her throat and/or hitting her on the head by manner and means unknown,” the Associated Press reported, citing the indictment document. It also accuses him of “punching and/or kicking and/or pushing” an officer from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which responded to the incident, according to the AP.

Redden will be arraigned on Feb. 29, court records show.

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