Deobra Redden, 31, was sentenced to serve between 26 and 65 years in a Nevada prison for attacking Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus.
The attack, which occurred on January 3, was caught on video and showed Redden vaulting over the judge's bench as she was about to deliver his sentence for a separate felony battery charge.
The courtroom video revealed the violent scene where Judge Holthus, 62, was seen falling back against a wall as Redden grabbed her hair, toppling an American flag onto them. Although Judge Holthus sustained injuries, she was not hospitalized, according to courthouse officials.
Redden, who pleaded guilty but mentally ill to attempted murder and other charges, was diagnosed with schizophrenia. His defense attorney, Carl Arnold, emphasized that Redden was not taking his prescribed medication at the time of the attack. "This plea reflects a delicate balance between accepting responsibility for a regrettable incident and recognizing the impact of Mr. Redden’s untreated mental illness," Arnold stated in September.
During the sentencing, Redden expressed remorse, saying, "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."
Redden will be eligible for parole sometime after 2050.
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