Watch: Triple-Felon Flies Across Vegas Courtroom, Attacks Lady Judge

A Wednesday sentencing hearing in Las Vegas suddenly looked like football practice, as the defendant leapt over the judge’s bench and tackled her to the floor in a brazen blitz captured on video. 

Playing the role of an aging quarterback with a weak offensive line was 62-year-old Judge Mary Kay Holthus. The walk-on defensive tackle was 30-year-old Deobra Redden, who’d already pleaded guilty to attempted battery with substantial bodily harm and was in court to learn his punishment. 

According to court documents, Redden last April threatened “to bust the kneecaps” of a man, “resulting in substantial bodily harm.” Redden was sent to a state behavioral facility, but then declared competent for trial in October. He was previously imprisoned in 2015 for attempted theft and again in 2021 for domestic battery, according to corrections records cited by the New York Times. 

Redden’s lawyer requested probation, but Holthus waved off that suggestion in light of his previous felony convictions. “I appreciate that, but I think it’s time he did a taste of something else because, I just can’t with that history,” said Holthus. “In accordance with the laws of the state of…”

In the next instant, the courtroom turned into chaos, as Redden is heard shouting, “Aww, fuck that, bitch!” He then rushes the judge’s desk and easily soars over it, arms spread wide to envelop her and drag her to the floor.  

A man seated to the judge’s left — who doesn’t appear to play a security role — first looks stunned, but then mounts a very respectable effort to thwart Redden’s beating of the elder lady judge. Alongside the violent display of societal decline, something of an apt metaphor plays out, as the flags of America and Nevada collapse out of sight. 

Officers rush to subdue Redden, with one asking, “The fuck’s wrong with you?!” Redden doesn’t relent, landing multiple punches on one of the officers. That, in turn, invites a hail of punches from the ad hoc team that joined forces to bring the offender under control.   

SHOCK VIDEO: Las Vegas judge attacked in court during sentencing for three-time felon accused of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm pic.twitter.com/cJXujqmqO9

— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 3, 2024

Holthus hit her head but was otherwise mostly unscathed, sources told Las Vegas outlet 8NewsNow. However, one of the officers was sent to a hospital with a large gash on his forehead and was listed in stable condition. Thanks to his attack on the judge, Redden now has some new entries on his rap sheet: battery, and battery of a protected person causing substantial harm. 

Video of the mayhem went viral, including this creative interpretation: 

People need to calm down out there… pic.twitter.com/C1gOjIHXkd

— APOCTOZ (@Apoctoz) January 3, 2024