LAS VEGAS (AP) — A man who was captured on video attacking a judge in a Las Vegas courtroom after vaulting over her bench and desk has been sentenced to decades in prison.
Deobra Redden was ordered on Tuesday to serve between 26 and 65 years in a Nevada prison for the attack on Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported.
Redden, 31, pleaded guilty but mentally ill in September to attempted murder and other charges, ending his trial shortly after Holthus had testified that she feared for her life when Redden vaulted over her 4-foot-high (1.2-meter-high) bench and landed on her.
The attack happened Jan. 3 as Holthus was about to deliver Redden’s sentence in a separate felony battery case.
The violent scene was captured by courtroom video that showed the 62-year-old judge falling back from her seat against a wall as Redden flung himself over her bench and grabbed her hair, toppling an American flag onto them. Holthus suffered some injuries but was not hospitalized, courthouse officials said.
Redden's defense lawyer Carl Arnold has said his client was not taking his prescribed medication to control his diagnosed schizophrenia at the time of the attack.
Arnold said in September when Redden entered his plea that it “reflects a delicate balance between accepting responsibility for a regrettable incident and recognizing the impact of Mr. Redden’s untreated mental illness at the time.”
The Associated Press sent an email Tuesday to a spokesperson for Arnold 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 making excuses for my actions, but I'm saying I'm not a bad person and I know that I did not intend to kill Mary Kay Holthus,” he said.
Redden will be eligible for parole sometime after 2050, KLAS-TV reported.
FILE - District Judge Mary Kay Holthus becomes emotional as she testifies against Deobra Redden during Redden's trial at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (Rachel Aston/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File)
FILE - Defendant Deobra Redden, who was captured on video attacking a Las Vegas judge in January, appears in court as Judge Susan Johnson instructs attorneys before Redden's trial at the Regional Justice Center, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal via AP, File )
FILE - In this image from video provided by the Clark County District Court, a defendant identified by court officials and records as Deobra Redden is seen launching over the desk of Judge Mary Kay Holthus during his sentencing in a felony battery case on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024 in Las Vegas. (Clark County District Court via AP, File)
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Lucas Pettersson and Eddie Genborg each scored twice and Sweden beat the United States 6-3 on Wednesday night in the world junior hockey championship to complete group play unbeaten.
Casper Juustovaara opened the scoring in the first period on a deflection, and the Swedes led 5-1 in the second period in the Group A finale. Ivar Stenberg scored in the third, and Love Harenstam made 28 saves.
“We knew it would be hard game,” Swedish forward Milton Gastrin said. “They were better at the start, but we kept it together and took over a bit in the second and scored some goals. We played like a team the whole way, and I think we did that better than they did, which is probably why we won.”
In the quarterfinals Friday, Sweden will face Latvia, and the second-place Americans will play Finland, a 7-4 loser to Canada later Wednesday night in the Group B finale in Minneapolis. Canada will play Slovakia, and Czechia will meet Switzerland.
Chase Reid, Will Zellers and Teddy Stiga scored for the United States. Brady Knowling stopped 23 shots in his tournament debut before giving way to Nick Kempf. The Americans lost for the first time in four games in the tournament.
“They’re a pretty good team and we didn’t play our best,” Reid said. “We’ll see them again, and we’ll get them back. I feel like we can play the same way, but we didn’t bring our best game tonight. We took a lot of undisciplined penalties that we didn’t need to take, but it’s a learning lesson and we’ll come back stronger.”
In the late game at the University of Minnesota, Cole Beaudoin had two goals and an assist for Canada.
“You watch this tournament, and you watch this game specifically on New Year’s Eve with your family, so means a lot,” Beaudoin said.
Brady Martin also scored twice, and Zayne Parekh had a goal and two assists. The 19-year-old Parekh has appeared in 12 games for the Calgary Flames.
Earlier, Switzerland beat Slovakia 3-2 to finish third in Group A, and Chechia topped Latvia 4-2 in Group B for its third straight win since an opening loss to Canada.
AP sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Finland's Roope Vesterinen (10) skates with the puck while Canada's Gavin McKenna (9) and Zayne Parekh (19) defend during second period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada goaltender Carter George (30) makes a save on Finland's Joona Saarelainen (12) during first period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada's Tij Iginla (11) celebrates his goal with teammates after scoring in second period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action against Finland in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada's Cole Beaudoin (26) celebrates his goal with teammates after scoring in second period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action against Finland in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Finland's Roope Vesterinen (10) skates with the puck while Canada's Gavin McKenna (9) and Zayne Parekh (19) defend during second period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada goaltender Carter George (30) makes a save on Finland's Joona Saarelainen (12) during first period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada's Tij Iginla (11) celebrates his goal with teammates after scoring in second period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action against Finland in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Canada's Cole Beaudoin (26) celebrates his goal with teammates after scoring in second period IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action against Finland in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
Team Czechia celebrates after defeating Latvia in IIHF World Junior Championship hockey action in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Christopher Katsarov/The Canadian Press via AP)
