Man who attacked judge in viral ‘Superman-style’ courtroom leap sentenced to prison
A man who admitted to trying to kill a judge after jumping over her bench in an attack that became a viral video was sentenced to 26 to 65 years in prison Tuesday.
In January, District Judge Mary Kay Holthus was in the process of sentencing Deobra Redden, 31, in an attempted battery case when he made what prosecutors described as a “Superman’-style” leap over the bench, tackled her and pulled her hair while screaming obscenities.
Holthus, a marshal and a police officer were injured in the attack. Redden was spoofed by “Saturday Night Live.”
Redden’s sentencing went more smoothly this time.
He was surrounded by court marshals and correctional officers and did not attack District Judge Susan Johnson after she announced that he would serve decades behind bars. Instead, he said, “Love y’all” to family and supporters and blew a kiss as he was led out of the courtroom.
“It was not just retaliation or an attack on Judge Holthus,” Johnson said. “It was also an attack on the judiciary.”
‘Made a conscious decision to kill me’
“I’m not an evil guy,” Redden told the court. He also talked about seeing spirits, hearing voices and feeling attacked.
And he insisted that he hadn’t intended to kill Holthus. “I know I cared about her well-being,” he said.
Holthus didn’t see the situation the same way.
“He made a conscious decision to kill me and made every effort to succeed,” she wrote in a statement read by Chief Deputy District Attorney John Giordani.
In the middle of his September trial, Redden pleaded guilty but mentally ill to a slew of charges, including attempted murder of an older person, battery on a protected person resulting in substantial bodily harm, intimidating a public officer and committing an unlawful act related to human excrement or bodily fluids.
Redden has schizophrenia and was not on medication at the time of the attack, defense attorney Carl Arnold said.
Capable of rehabilitation?
Chief Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Mercer told the court Redden has a lengthy criminal history and lack of impulse control.
He has been convicted in 12 other cases, all involving some level of violence, according to the prosecutor, who argued that he’s incapable of rehabilitation because he doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong.
“The only time that he did not commit new crimes was when he was in custody,” she said.
Arnold agreed his client lacks impulse control, but said he’s mentally ill and doesn’t have the same ability to control his anger as others.
Redden has been able to quell the voices in his head with medication, he said. He blamed the state for not previously providing Redden with medication.
“I don’t think the answer is just throw away the key, give him a whole bunch of years,” Arnold argued. “That benefits no one. We understand that a message has to be sent. Since he’s been on his medication, as you see him today, your honor, he’s being courteous, he’s being compliant and deeply remorseful about the events and what happened that day.”
But he said he’d also explained to his client: “There has to be a message. A message that you can’t come flying over the bench because you didn’t get the sentence that you wanted or you’re upset with the sentence.”
Arnold asked for a four to 11 year prison sentence. Prosecutors did not request a specific sentence, but asked that Redden’s prison time be “substantial.”
Holthus requested that he receive the maximum sentence “for me as well as his future victims who may not be as lucky.”
After court, Arnold said he thought the sentence wasn’t surprising but was unfair based on his client’s mental illness.
The earlier sentencing
Holthus sentenced Redden to 19 to 48 months in prison in the earlier case. The new sentence will not be concurrent to that sentence, Johnson said, meaning Redden will not serve the two prison terms at the same time.
There was “no question” Redden has mental health issues, Johnson said, but doctors determined that he “knew the difference between right and wrong.”
Redden heard voices when he was speaking to Holthus, he told the court, and “saw nothing but red.”
“I was like, ‘Why are you doing this to me?’,” he said. “That’s what I wanted to ask her.”
In her statement, Holthus said, “The impact on me and my family has been substantial both mentally and physically.”
She expressed her appreciation for the people who aided her during the attack, including her marshal who suffered “horrific injuries,” she said.
“To them, I owe my life and will forever be grateful,” she said.
Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.