Man on video attacking Las Vegas judge was granted probation multiple times, once by same judge
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The man recorded on video attacking a Las Vegas judge in her courtroom Wednesday was sentenced to probation multiple times, once by the same judge, and also once bit a woman, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
As the 8 News Now Investigators first reported, Deobra Redden, 30, a three-time felon, was in Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus’ courtroom for sentencing on a charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm.
Holthus was about to deny Redden’s probation request when Redden ran up to her, jumped over the bench and attacked her, video shared with the 8 News Now Investigators showed. Several other people then fought with Redden before throwing him to the ground.
Redden, who appeared in court with his mother, has three felony convictions and nine misdemeanor convictions on his record, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained.
In 2012, Redden was convicted of assault causing bodily injury to a family member. A judge sentenced him to 45 days in jail and a time, documents said.
In 2013, Redden was convicted three times for domestic battery, documents said. He was ordered to attend anger management classes, spend two months in jail and pay a fine in the three cases.
In 2014, Redden was convicted for attempted theft, documents said. A judge sentenced him to probation, which he violated several times. Redden then entered a mental health court program.
While on probation, Redden was twice convicted of domestic battery, tampered with his alcohol monitoring bracelet and violated other terms, documents said.
He was also charged with kicking a police officer in the knee.
Also, during his probation in 2018, Redden was convicted of battery with substantial bodily harm. In that case, he bit a woman and broke the windows of a man’s car with a rock, documents said. Again, a judge sentenced Redden to probation. A judge honorably discharged him from probation in 2020 and 2021.
In 2021, Redden was convicted again for domestic battery. In that case, a different judge sentenced Redden to prison for a term of 12-30 months. A board granted Redden parole in 2022.
Also in 2021, police charged Redden with attempted home invasion and destroying the property of another person, documents said. It was unclear if Redden’s arrest for these charges happened before he was remanded into custody.
In January 2023, Redden appeared before Holthus on the 2021 charges. Redden pleaded guilty and Holthus released him without having to pay bail. That February, Holthus sentenced Redden to a year of probation, records said. Redden violated his probation in October, and Holthus ordered him to serve 106 days in jail. It was unclear why Redden was released before the Jan. 3 incident or if he even served any of the jail time.
On April 23, Redden “[threatened] to bust the kneecaps” of another man with a baseball bat, “resulting in substantial bodily harm,” documents said.
In May, a different judge ordered Redden to undergo a competency determination, records said. Redden was then committed to a state behavioral facility. A judge then found Redden competent in October.
Redden pleaded guilty in November. Judge Holthus issued a bench warrant for his arrest in December after he missed a court appearance.
During Wednesday’s court appearance, Redden’s attorney asked Holthus to sentence his client to probation. The prosecutors asked Holthus to sentence Redden to 19-48 months in prison.
“Basically, I would like to tell the courts and everyone here, based on my criminal history, I feel that like I shouldn’t be sent to prison for a sentence time,” Redden told Holthus before the attack.
“Have you looked at your criminal history?” she asked him.
“I looked at it – I just looked at it,” Redden said.
“You lived it, I suppose,” Holthus said. “Three felonies, a [gross misdemeanor], nine misdemeanors, multiple [domestic violence convictions], you got a lot going on, sir.”
“I’m in a better place in my mind, in my mental health, I have a support system, I just got hired a Teamster for the union, making $20 an hour.,” Redden said. “The reason behind every single domestic violence, I’ve been dealing with mental health, and I didn’t know that I was dealing with mental health and they put me in mental health court and I still didn’t know that I had mental health problem.”
Redden appeared to accept the fact Holthus appeared to weigh on his prior convictions in her determination.
“I feel like I shouldn’t be sent to prison, but if it’s appropriate, then you have to do what you have to do,” Redden said.
Redden was booked into the Clark County jail on new charges of battery and battery on a protected person. One count of the battery-on-a-protected-person charge indicated the victim was “substantially harmed.” He was due in court on the new charges at 9 a.m. Thursday.
A court spokesperson said Holthus’ injuries were “being monitored.” A marshal was taken to a hospital. He was listed in stable condition as of Wednesday afternoon, a spokesperson said.
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