In a jaw-dropping scene that looked ripped from a Hollywood thriller, 31-year-old Deobra Redden vaulted over a courtroom bench in Las Vegas and launched himself at veteran judge Mary Kay Holthus – and for that stunt he’s now staring down a **26-to-65-year prison term**.
The terrifying melee began on Jan. 3, during a routine sentencing hearing at the Clark County District Court, where Judge Holthus was just about to hand down a sentence on Redden’s earlier battery conviction from 2023. Suddenly, in what prosecutors dubbed a “Superman-style” leap, Redden jumped over the 4-foot bench, grabbed at the judge, causing her to topple backward as flags and courtroom decor went flying.
#BREAKING: #DeobraRedden is sentenced to 26-65 years in prison for jumping the bench and attacking Judge Mary Kay Holthus in a Nevada courtroom.
Redden spoke in court saying “I’m not an evil person.”#CourtTV Did the judge get it right? pic.twitter.com/l467ujvGL1
— Court TV (@CourtTV) December 10, 2024
Footage of the attack instantly went viral – the look on Holthus’ face, the roar from the defendant, the scramble of court officers – it hit the internet like wildfire. Redden’s defense later said he was off his meds, suffering from untreated schizophrenia, while the incident unfolded.
When the dust settled, the building was shaken – metaphorically and literally – and the judge made it clear: this wasn’t just an assault on a person, it was an assault on the justice system itself. That acknowledgment came from Susan Johnson, the judge who handed down the massive sentence. “It was not just retaliation or an attack on Judge Holthus,” she declared – “it was also an attack on the judiciary.”
Ain’t no way🤯🤯
Crazy dude leaped over bench and attacked judge…got 26 years in jail 💀 pic.twitter.com/MgL7C9vxBH— Dark Side (@not_rekt_11) December 13, 2024
Redden pleaded guilty but mentally ill in September to charges including attempted murder of a person 60 or older, battery on a protected person, intimidating a public officer and more. He insisted in court that he never intended to kill Judge Holthus. “I’m not an evil guy… I know I cared about her well-being,” he said. However, Holthus angrily countered: “He made a conscious decision to kill me and made every effort to succeed.”
And the back-story? Redden’s rap sheet is long and ugly: previous convictions for theft, domestic battery, multiple violent misdemeanors and felonies. Prosecutors argued he has a chronic inability to control his impulses and poses a lasting threat if ever released. His attorney echoed the untreated-mental-illness angle and asked for a far lighter term – four to 11 years – but the court wasn’t buying.
The attack has also sparked a larger conversation about courtroom security and how someone in Redden’s condition was on the floor in the first place. It raised the question: how did someone diagnosed with schizophrenia and skipping meds get that close to a judge during sentencing without tighter safeguards? Courtroom footage of the scramble and restraint team ended up in mainstream outlets like TIME and others.
In terms of sentencing, Redden’s new 26 to 65-year term will **not** run at the same time as his earlier sentence of 19 to 48 months for the battery charge – meaning the guy is locked up for the long haul. He’ll be eligible for parole only sometime after 2050.
To recap: – Redden leaps over the bench in the courtroom and attacks Judge Holthus in January. – He’s caught on video, the internet erupts. – He pleads guilty but mentally ill to attempted murder + other serious charges. – Judge Johnson calls it an attack on the judiciary. – He gets 26-65 years. Eligible for parole in the 2050s.
This story reads like a wild courtroom drama meets “what not to do in front of a judge” tutorial. There are the viral-video angles, the mental-health overlay, the rare glimpse of someone attacking the very person meant to dispense justice. And most of all, the message is blunt: you don’t vault over a judge’s bench, you don’t take out your war against your sentence like that- unless you’re ready for the full ride behind bars.
Judge Holthus, back at the bench after her injuries, offered thanks to the officers, marshals and staff who helped subdue Redden and protect the courtroom. She said the impact on her and her family was both mental and physical-and that’s not hyperbole. Meanwhile, the polish on the viral clip only amplified the public outrage and – as the court clearly intended – drew a hard line in the sand.
If nothing else, this case is a high-alert reminder to defendants, court watchers and the public: a courtroom is **not** your chance for theatrics. When the gavel falls, abide by the law. Because when you don’t-well, you might just end up starring in a viral video with a 30-plus-year sentence tagged on.