LAS VEGAS (Court TV/Scripps News Las Vegas) — A man who pleaded guilty to leaping over the bench and attacking a judge in Las Vegas was sentenced to spend 26 to 65 years in prison.
Deobra Redden pleads guilty. (Court TV)
On the second day of his trial, Deobra Redden, 31, pleaded guilty but mentally ill to all of the charges in a second amended indictment, which Judge Susan H. Johnson accepted. The state was willing to stipulate to allow him to withdraw his prior pleas of guilty on counts 2 through 7.
At his sentencing, Redden addressed the court directly and questioned why prosecutors requested the maximum possible sentence. “I don’t understand why the state is really going after my character,” Redden told the judge at his sentencing on Dec. 10. “I’m not a bad person, I’m not an evil person.” Redden further told the judge he didn’t want “to be known as a person with mental illness” because “those people get attacked.”
Redden was initially facing seven charges but pleaded guilty to all but one charge ahead of jury selection on Sept. 3. He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to attempted murder of a victim 60 years of age or older. Redden had not reached any agreement with prosecutors before pleading guilty.
In Jan., video of the incident that reportedly left Judge Mary Kay Holthus with bruising went viral online. During the hearing, Judge Holthus was sentencing Redden for attempted battery charges. As she was preparing to hand down a sentence, Redden was seen jumping over the bench towards her.
According to an arrest report, Judge Holthus said Redden knocked her out of her chair and slammed her head against the wall before ripping some of her hair out. The report also stated that two marshals were notified of a panic alarm but were dispatched to the wrong courtroom.
Redden’s defense team and family says he was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Redden retained criminal defense attorney Carl Arnold, who is also representing Duane ‘Keefe D’ Davis in the Tupac murder case. Redden has a long criminal history including three felony convictions, reports Scripps News Las Vegas.
DAILY TRIAL UPDATES
DAY 2 – 9/5/24
- Defendant Deobra Redden abruptly decided to plead guilty but mentally ill to all of the charges in the second amended indictment.
- Hon. Mary Kay Holthus, the Las Vegas judge who was attacked by Redden, testified in Redden’s attempted murder trial.
- Michael Lasso, the law clerk who helped get Deobra Redden off judge Holthus, takes the stand.
- Redden’s sentencing is set for November 7, 2024.
DAY 1 – 9/4/24
- The jury hears opening statements
