Las Vegas to honor clerk who intervened in judge attack

This screen shot from video shows Judge Mary Kay Holthus being aided after she was attacked by defendant Deobra Redden during a hearing Wednesday, January 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Las Vegas District Court)

This screen shot from video shows defendant Deobra Redden attacking Judge Mary Kay Holthus after a hearing Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Las Vegas District Court)

This screen shot from video shows a court marshal dabbing his forehead after defendant Deobra Redden attacked Judge Mary Kay Holthus on Wednesday, January 3, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Las Vegas District Court)

Las Vegas officials are honoring a clerk who intervened in a courtroom attack of a Las Vegas judge that was captured on video.

District Court clerk Michael Lasso will be recognized as the “Citizen of the Month” at Wednesday’s Las Vegas City Council meeting. The award is bestowed by Mayor Carolyn Goodman.

Earlier this year, Lasso was sitting next to Judge Mary Kay Holthus when a man she was sentencing rushed the bench, jumped over it and physically attacked her, according to Las Vegas police.

Video footage from the courtroom showed Lasso jumping on the defendant, Deobra Redden, in an attempt to restrain him.

Redden, who at the time was being sentenced for attempted battery, has since been indicted on counts that include attempted murder, battery, extortion by threat and intimidating a public officer.

Holthus testified before a grand jury that Redden, 30, flung himself at her.

“I rolled under my bench and just fetal-positioned and waited for it to be over,” she said, according to transcripts of the hearing.

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.