The frightening moment a judge was attacked by a defendant during a hearing has been caught on camera.
On Wednesday (January 3), Clark County district judge Mary Kay Holthus was about to sentence Deobra Delone Redden at the Regional Justice Center when she was violently attacked.
Shocking footage caught in courtroom cameras shows the 30-year-old man, yelling "Nah f*** that b***h", before suddenly leaping over a defense table and the judge's bench, and then lunging at Holthus.
Redden was then wrestled to the floor behind the judge's bench by several court and jail officers and courtroom staff members.
Watch the moment below:During the incident, Holthus fell back from her seat against a wall and suffered some injuries. However, she did not need to be taken to hospital, court officials said. Meanwhile, the official who came to her aid sustained a gash on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder and had to be treated by medics.
"We commend the heroic acts of her staff, law enforcement, and all others who subdued the defendant," The Las Vegas district issued in a statement, according to Channel 13.
"The court remains committed to a safe and secure courthouse and courtrooms," they continued. "We are reviewing all our protocols and will do whatever is necessary to protect the judiciary, the public, and our employees."
Redden, a Las Vegas resident, was arrested and put into custody at the Clark County Detention Center. He now faces several new felony charges including battery on a protected person - referring to the judge and court officers, as reported by Sky News.
Redden was initially in court over allegations that he battered a person with a baseball bat last year. He was assessed and found mentally competent to stand trial before pleading guilty in November to a reduced charge of attempted battery causing substantial bodily harm.
Before the attack, Redden had asked Judge Holthus for leniency in his sentencing, describing himself as "a person who never stops trying to do the right thing, no matter how hard it is".
"I'm not a rebellious person," he told her, adding that he does not "do drugs" and does not think he should be sent to prison. "But if it's appropriate for you, then you have to do what you have to do," he noted.
But when the judge revealed that she planned to put him behind bars, Redden charged forward.
The Nevada attorney general's office shared a statement on the violent attack on X (formerly Twitter), penning: "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. We wish you both a swift recovery."