Las Vegas Judge Attacked in Courtroom, Faces Additional Charges

LAS VEGAS – A Las Vegas judge was attacked in her courtroom on Wednesday by a defendant who was facing sentencing for attempted battery. Deobra Redden, a 30-year-old man with a prior criminal history, lunged over the bench and assaulted Judge Mary Kay Holthus as she was preparing to deny his request for probation.

According to court documents, Redden jumped over the bench and struck Judge Holthus on the head, pulled her hair, and slammed her head against a wall. He then allegedly threatened to kill her. Court officers intervened and subdued Redden after a brief struggle.

Judge Holthus sustained minor injuries but was not seriously hurt. Her marshal, Shane Brandon, received a gash on his face that required 25 stitches.

“This was a very frightening experience for Judge Holthus and everyone in the courtroom,” said Chief Judge Jerry Wiese. “We are grateful that no one was seriously injured and that the situation was quickly brought under control.”

Redden has been charged with a number of additional offenses as a result of the attack, including coercion, extortion, intimidating public officers, battery, and disobeying safety regulations. He refused to appear for his initial court hearing on Thursday and is scheduled to return to court on January 9th.

This incident has raised concerns about the safety of judges and court personnel. Chief Judge Wiese said that the court is reviewing its security procedures and will take steps to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

“The safety of our judges and court staff is our top priority,” said Judge Wiese. “We will do everything we can to ensure that our courthouses are safe and secure for everyone.”

This is a developing story and we will continue to provide updates as they become available.

Credits: 8 News Now