Judge Mary Kay Holthus suffered assault and battery and a security guard was hospitalized following the incident, which occurred Wednesday, Jan. 3, in a Las Vegas courthouse.
The scene seems straight out of a bad TV series about the justice system in the United States. Angry upon learning of his incarceration, a defendant lashed out at the Las Vegas judge who had just handed down his sentence on Wednesday, January 3rd. Deobra Redden walked across the stage to attack the judge, who was placed under medical observation after being hit several times.
The public record of the trial shows Redden, a man on trial for attempted assault, insulting Judge Mary Kay Holthus and then storming toward her when he realizes she wants to send him behind bars. His lawyer had just requested a suspended sentence.
“I understand, but I think it's time for him to try something different,” the judge then replied, pointing to the defendant's already complete criminal record, which had already been convicted of (among other things) domestic violence and burglary the local television station KSNV.
Quite annoyed, the defendant then threw himself at the judge and evaded a security officer and court staff who tried to intervene. A scuffle ensued in which he threw several punches before being overpowered by several people.
“Judge Holthus had some injuries and her condition is being monitored medically,” a spokeswoman for the Clark County court in Nevada (western US) told AFP. An injured agent was “transported to the hospital” and his condition is now “stable,” she said. After this incident, “we are reviewing all of our protocols and will do everything necessary to protect the judiciary, the public and our employees,” she concluded.