A man who attempted to attack a US judge in a shocking incident captured on video has been sentenced to up to 65 years in prison.
Deobra Redden, 31, leaped over the bench toward Judge Mary Kay Holthus as she prepared to sentence him for a previous offense. The January assault was caught on camera, showing Redden wildly swinging punches as court marshals, staff, and attorneys struggled to subdue him. The attack left the judge visibly shaken, and a marshal required hospitalization.
During a hearing in Las Vegas, Judge Susan Johnson sentenced Redden to serve between 26 and 65 years. Prior to the sentencing, Redden had insisted he was not a malicious individual. "I know I'm not a bad person," he said. "I believe you all know I'm not an evil person."
Redden's attorney, Carl Arnold, highlighted his client's long-standing struggle with severe mental illness and noted that Redden had not been taking his medication at the time of the attack. "He is deeply remorseful," Arnold stated. "When he first saw the video, his reaction was intense. He described himself as a monster, saying, 'That's me? I did that? I didn't mean to hurt that woman like that.'"
Redden pleaded guilty but mentally ill to multiple charges, including attempted murder, stemming from the courtroom assault. Judge Johnson emphasized that while Redden's mental health issues were evident, medical professionals confirmed he understood the difference between right and wrong. "This was an attack on the judiciary," she declared.
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