LAS VEGAS – A defendant in a felony battery case caused chaos in a Nevada courtroom, attacking a judge during his sentencing process, resulting in a bloody brawl involving court officials and attorneys. The defendant, Deobra Delone Redden, leaped over a defense table and the judge’s bench, sparking a violent scene captured on courtroom video.
Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus suffered injuries but was not hospitalized, according to courthouse officials. The defendant, who remains jailed on $54,000 bail, faces 13 counts, including extortion and coercion with force, and seven new counts of battery on a protected person.
Redden had to be forcibly removed from the judge by court and jail officers and courtroom staff members, resulting in injuries to a courtroom marshal who was hospitalized for a bleeding gash on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder.
According to Richard Scow, the chief county district attorney, the violent incident occurred as he was prosecuting Redden for an alleged baseball bat attack last year. Redden’s criminal record includes three felonies and nine misdemeanors.
At the sentencing hearing, Redden, who was not shackled or in jail garb, pleaded with the judge for leniency, stating that he was turning his life around. However, as the judge moved to put him behind bars, Redden charged forward, leading to his arrest on new charges.
Redden remains jailed and will appear in court again on Jan. 9. Holthus, the attacked judge, has over 27 years of courthouse experience and was elected to the state court bench in 2018.