Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus became emotional as she faced the man who attacked her earlier this year during his attempted murder trial.
The traumatic incident occurred on January 3, when defendant Debra Redden lunged at the judge in court, knocking her into a wall with such force that her shoes were knocked off—a detail Judge Holthus tearfully recounted in her testimony.
“He knocked me literally almost through the wall,” Judge Holthus stated. “He knocked me out of my shoes. You know when you see a car accident and people get hit so hard their shoes come off… That’s how hard he hit me.”
The attack, which was caught on courtroom cameras, took place as Judge Holthus was preparing to sentence Redden in a separate felony attempted battery case.
Redden unexpectedly rushed towards the bench, prompting immediate intervention from courtroom security. The incident left Judge Holthus visibly shaken, and the trial was delayed as a result.
During this week’s proceedings, Redden pleaded guilty to attempted murder but with a finding of mental illness, concluding the trial after prosecutors questioned Judge Holthus and her law clerk, Michael Lasso, about the attack.
Redden’s defense attorney, Carl Arnold, explained that there had been discussions about a plea deal throughout the trial.
Initially, Redden intended to plead not guilty by reason of insanity, but Arnold later withdrew that defense, citing the overwhelming evidence against his client.
The plea deal marks the end of a high-profile case in the Las Vegas judicial system, but the emotional toll on Judge Holthus and her courtroom staff remains clear.
Despite the conclusion of the trial, the trauma caused by the attack will likely linger for some time.
