A man filmed attack a judge in a Las Vegas courtroom after jumping over her bench and desk was sentenced to decades in prison.
Deobra Redden was sentenced Tuesday to serve 26 to 65 years in a Nevada prison for the attack on Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus, CBS affiliate KLAS-TV reported. Las Vegas.
Redden, 31, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in September to attempted murder and other charges, ending her trial shortly after Holthus testified that she feared for her life when Redden jumped over his bench 4 feet tall and landed on top of her.
The attack occurred Jan. 3 as Holthus was about to pass sentence on Redden in another assault case.
The violent scene was captured on courtroom video that showed the 62-year-old judge falling from her seat against a wall as Redden threw himself over her bench and grabbed her hair, knocking an American flag over them. Several other people, including Holthus’ commissioner and his lawyer, fought with Redden before throwing him to the ground, KLAS-TV reported.
Clark County District Court via AP
Holthus suffered some injuries but was not hospitalized, courthouse officials said.
Redden’s defense attorney, Carl Arnold, said his client was not taking medication prescribed to him to control his diagnosed schizophrenia at the time of the attack.
Arnold said in September, when Redden entered the plea, that it “reflects a delicate balance between accepting responsibility for an unfortunate incident and recognizing the impact of Mr. Redden’s untreated mental illness on the era”.
The Associated Press sent an email to an Arnold spokesperson Tuesday seeking comment on Redden’s sentence.
Redden said in court Tuesday that he did not intend to kill Holthus, KLAS-TV reported.
“I’m not a bad person, I’m not a bad guy,” Redden said. “I’m not making excuses for my actions, but I am saying I’m not a bad person and I know I didn’t intend to kill Mary Kay Holthus, I know I cared about her. -be.”
Holthus did not speak during the sentencing, KLAS-TV reported, but prosecutors read a statement from her.
“He made a conscious decision to kill me and made every effort to do so,” the statement said.
Redden will be eligible for parole after 2050, KLAS-TV reported.
