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Akinwande Soji-Ojo
A convicted criminal attacked and assaulted a judge in Las Vegas during a hearing after she refused to grant him bail, on Wednesday.
Convicted offender, Deobra Delone Redden, attacked Clark County District Court Judge, Mary Kay Holthus as she was about to deliver her verdict.
The moment Redden sprang up from where he was standing and jumped into the judge’s bench to tackle her was captured in a video uploaded by Daily Mail, on Thursday.
A courtroom marshal was hospitalised with a dislocated shoulder and a gushing cut on his forehead after being hurt while attempting to remove the defendant.
The Nevada Attorney General’s office expressed its well wishes to Judge Holtus and the court marshal who were injured in the incident.
“Sending our sincerest well wishes to District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus and the marshal injured in her courtroom today. Your dedication to justice and the court are truly commendable,” the statement read.
Also, the Las Vegas District Court, in a statement, said: “We commend the heroic acts of her staff, law enforcement, and all others who subdued the defendant.
“The court remains committed to a safe and secure courthouse and courtrooms.
“We are reviewing all our protocols and will do whatever is necessary to protect the judiciary, the public, and our employees.”
After being taken into custody, Redden was charged with several new felonies, one of which is violence on a protected person, including the judge and court staff.
Redden was being sentenced for aggravated battery with substantial bodily harm just before he launched his attack.
Redden, a resident of Las Vegas, underwent a mental evaluation and was deemed fit to stand trial.
In November, Redden pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of attempted battery resulting in significant physical harm.
According to state records, Redden has a history of serving time in prison in Nevada for a conviction related to domestic battery, The Independent reports.
Redden had previously appeared before Judge Holthus on allegations of property destruction.
The 30-year-old has a criminal history involving charges in both Nevada and Texas, and has faced charges for battery, robbery, assault, injury to property and coercion, records show.