Las Vegas (AP) A guy who jumped over a judge’s desk and bench in a Las Vegas courthouse and then attacked her on camera has been given a decades-long jail sentence.
According to KLAS-TV in Las Vegas, Deobra Redden was sentenced on Tuesday to 26–65 years in prison in Nevada for attacking Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus.
Redden’s trial ended shortly after Holthus testified that she feared for her life when Redden jumped over her 4-foot (1.2-meter)-high bench and landed on her. In September, Redden entered a guilty but mentally ill plea to attempted murder and other offenses.
Holthus was ready to pronounce Redden’s sentencing in a different felony battery case when the attack occurred on January 3.
Courtroom footage of the violent incident showed the 62-year-old judge tumbling back from her wall-mounted seat while Redden threw himself over her bench, seized her hair, and threw an American flag on them. Holthus suffered some injuries but was not hospitalized, courthouse officials said.
Carl Arnold, Redden’s defense attorney, claims that at the time of the attack, his client was not taking the medicine that was recommended to manage his diagnosed schizophrenia.
When Redden submitted his plea in September, Arnold stated that it was a careful balancing act between acknowledging the impact of Mr. Redden’s untreated mental illness at the time and taking responsibility for a regrettable incident.
A representative for Arnold was contacted by the Associated Press via email on Tuesday to inquire about Redden’s sentence.
According to KLAS-TV, Redden stated in court on Tuesday that he had no intention of killing Holthus.
He remarked, “I’m not apologizing for what I did, but I’m not a bad person, and I know that I didn’t intend to kill Mary Kay Holthus.”
According to KLAS-TV, Redden will be eligible for parole after 2050.
The Associated Press, 2024. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. It is prohibited to publish, broadcast, rewrite, or redistribute this content without authorization.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!