Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus, who endured a violent attack by a convicted felon during his sentencing hearing in Las Vegas, has now chosen to speak out about the incident.
Last week, Holthus was the first witness called during Deobra Redden’s trial for attempted murder following the attack.
According to a testimony transcript obtained by Fox5 Las Vegas, Holthus said that Redden spoke to her about “all the great things that he’s been doing” and his aspirations to secure employment and transform into a “changed person.” She even claimed that he was “super calm.”
Before the attack, she denied Redden’s parole and said, “I think it’s time he got a taste of something else because I just can’t with that history.”
“The next thing I know, he literally jumped that defense table and flew before I could even and just slammed me into the wall,” Holthus added. “I don’t know what hit me where.”
Holthus expressed her surprise at the unexpected and swift attack, recalling her head being forcefully slammed into a marble wall, resulting in a lingering “lumpy and bruised” injury.
Additionally, she said that Redden grabbed her hair and” threw her down backward,” prompting her to curl into a fetal position while other court officials intervened to address the terrifying situation.
She then acknowledged her attacker’s strength as he easily bunny-hopped over the four-foot-high bench and expressed gratitude to her marshal and law clerk for saving her life.
“If they hadn’t been there, I would not be here,” Holthus stated. “I was no match. He was absolutely taking me out.”
“If it was just me, I wouldn’t have survived multiple blows to the head, which is clearly where we were going with it. So I’m very thankful.”
According to reports, in addition to the attempted murder of an older person charge, Redden was also charged with battery, intimidating a public officer with threat of force, extortion, and disregarding the safety of a person, resulting in substantial bodily harm.
