Defendant shackled during retry for attacking judge in Las Vegas trial
Deobra Delone Redden, a man caught attacking judge in Vegas courtroom has been sentenced to up to four years in state prison by the same judge, Clark county district court judge Mary Kay Holthus, who delivered the punishment.
The sentence was in connection with an attempted battery charge from last year that Redden pleaded guilty to in November. On January 3, when Redden rushed the judge, he interrupted the sentencing process. Judge Holthus made it clear that she would not modify or change the sentence she had initially intended to impose before the attack occurred.
During the court appearance, Redden was closely watched and shackled, flanked by jail security guards. His lawyer, Caesar Almase, did not speak at the hearing, and Redden himself was not given the opportunity to speak either. Redden may be paroled in 19 months depending on his behavior.
Redden will face 15 new felony and misdemeanor charges related to the courtroom attack in front of a different judge on the following day. If convicted, he could potentially be sentenced to decades in prison. Almase, who witnessed his client attacking judge Holthus, declined to comment outside of the court. He will not be representing Redden during the upcoming hearing.
Redden had claimed to be in a mentally good place, and argued against being sent to prison during his previous court appearance. However, when the judge indicated her decision to incarcerate him, Redden leaped over the defense table and dove onto Judge Holthus’ bench. While Holthus sustained injuries, she returned to work the next day.
Court officers, jail security, and courtroom staff members had to restrain Redden when he began attacking Judge Holthus, with some seen throwing punches in the video footage. One marshal was hospitalized with injuries. Redden’s foster mother, Karen Springer, and his older sister, LaDonna Daniels, spoke to reporters outside the court and revealed that Redden had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. However, court records state that he was deemed competent to stand trial.
A courtroom marshal reported to the Las Vegas police that after Redden was handcuffed and taken to a holding cell on January 3, he made statements claiming that he believed the judge was “evil” and had a personal vendetta against him. Redden is currently being held on $54,000 bail for charges including attempted murder, extortion, coercion with force, and battery on a protected person, referring to both the judge and the officers who intervened.
