Nevada

Nevada judge returned to work a day after being attacked by defendant

Published

2 years ago

January 5, 2024

Nevada judge returned to work a day after being attacked by defendant

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A Nevada judge was back to work a day after being attacked by a defendant in a felony battery case who was captured on courtroom video charging forward and “supermanning” over the judge’s bench after it became clear that he was being sentenced to prison, a court official said Thursday.

The defendant, Deobra Redden, is scheduled to face Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus again Monday morning for his rescheduled sentencing, according to Chief Judge Jerry Wiese.

At a news conference Thursday, Wiese shared a statement from Holthus, who fell back from her seat against a wall when the defendant landed atop her and grabbed her hair, toppling an American flag onto them. Holthus suffered some injuries and was evaluated but not hospitalized, courthouse officials said.

“She wanted me to thank all of the well-wishers and others who have expressed concern for her and her staff,” Wiese said. “She is extremely grateful for those who took brave action during the attack.”

In a bloody brawl, Redden had to be wrestled off the judge Wednesday morning by her law clerk, Michael Lasso, and several court and jail officers — including some who were seen throwing punches. One courtroom marshal was hospitalized for treatment of a bleeding gash on his forehead and a dislocated shoulder, and Lasso was treated for cuts on his hands.

Wiese credited Lasso for his quick action, saying he was the “primary person” who pulled the defendant off the judge “and probably kept her from having more severe injuries.”

Redden, 30, was jailed on $54,000 bail in connection with the attack but refused to return to court on Thursday on the new charges, so a judge rescheduled his next appearance for Jan. 9. Records show that he faces 13 counts including extortion and coercion with force. Seven of the new counts are battery on a protected person, referring to the judge and officers who came to her aid.

“It happened so fast it was hard to know what to do,” said Richard Scow, the chief county district attorney, who was prosecuting Redden for allegedly attacking a person with a baseball bat last year.

District Attorney Steve Wolfson said the suspect’s criminal record is marked by mostly violent offenses and includes prior convictions for three felonies and nine misdemeanors. He said Redden should be held without bail as “an extreme danger to the community and a flight risk.”

“He’s been violent his entire adult life,” Wolfson said.

Redden’s defense attorney on Wednesday, Caesar Almase, declined to comment.

At the sentencing hearing, Redden wasn’t shackled or in jail garb because he had been released from custody as part of a deal with prosecutors, in which he pleaded guilty in November to a reduced charge of attempted battery resulting in substantial injuries. He was initially charged in the baseball bat attack with assault with a deadly weapon, court records show.

On Wednesday, he wore a white shirt and dark pants as he stood next to his attorney and asked the judge for leniency while describing himself as “a person who never stops trying to do the right thing no matter how hard it is.“

“I’m not a rebellious person,” he told the judge, adding that he doesn’t think he should be sent to prison. “But if it’s appropriate for you, then you have to do what you have to do.”

Moments later, as the judge made it clear she intended to put him behind bars, and the court marshal moved to handcuff him and take him into custody, Redden yelled expletives and charged forward. People who had been sitting with him in the courtroom audience, including his foster mother, began to scream.

Records show Redden, who lives in Las Vegas, was evaluated and found competent to stand trial in the battery case before pleading guilty to the reduced charge. He previously served prison time in Nevada on a domestic battery conviction, records show.

Holthus was a career prosecutor with more than 27 years of courthouse experience when she was elected to the state court bench in 2018.

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Nevada

Nevada’s population growth slowed last year, Census says

Published

5 hours ago

January 27, 2026

Press Room

Nevada’s population growth slowed last year, Census says

Nevada’s population growth slowed dramatically last year, according to new statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.

New figures from the government agency showed Nevada grew 0.9 percent, which put it in the top 10 states for percentage growth (9th) from July 2024 to July 2025. However, this is down from July 2023 to July 2024 when the state grew by 1.7 percent.

In July 2024, Nevada had 3,253,543 residents, and in July of last year it had 3,282,188. From July 2023 to July 2024, Nevada was the sixth fastest-growing state in the country, which meant it dropped three spots for the time period of July 2024 to July 2025.

Nevada expanded from 3,214,363 residents in July 2023 to 3,267,467 in July 2024, which turned out to be the fastest year-over-year growth rate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, since before the pandemic in 2019. However, all of these growth rates are below the time frame of 2015 to 2018 when the state saw unprecedented population growth.

Overall, U.S. population growth slowed “significantly” from July 2024 to July of last year with an increase of only 1.8 million people, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This was the lowest population growth for the country since the early days of the pandemic when the population grew only 0.2 percent in 2021 year-over-year.

This population slowdown across the country follows a “sizeable” uptick in the growth rate in 2024 when the U.S. added 3.2 million people and grew 1 percent, the fastest annual population growth rate since all the way back in 2006.

“The slowdown in U.S. population growth is largely due to a historic decline in net international migration, which dropped from 2.7 million to 1.3 million in the period from July 2024 through June 2025,” said Christine Hartley, the assistant division chief for Estimates and Projections at the U.S. Census Bureau. “With births and deaths remaining relatively stable compared to the prior year, the sharp decline in net international migration is the main reason for the slower growth rate we see today.”

The population growth drop was felt across the country as all four census regions (West, Midwest, Northeast and the South) and every state except Montana and West Virginia saw growth slow or a decline in acceleration.

Five U.S. states experienced population decline from July 2024 to July 2025: California, Hawaii, New Mexico, Vermont and West Virginia.

Contact Patrick Blennerhassett at pblennerhassett@reviewjournal.com.

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Nevada

Nevada City to weigh water/wastewater treatment fee hikes

Published

17 hours ago

January 27, 2026

Press Room

Nevada City to weigh water/wastewater treatment fee hikes

Water and wastewater users in Nevada City could see fee hikes coming down the pipe as the City of Nevada City is currently going through steps needed to do so.

According to the city staff report, water users would see a 25% increase in costs each year for the next 5 years, while wastewater use would result in a 12% increase each year for the next five years.

For example, a water user currently paying $48 bi-monthly in fees, would be paying $198.41 bi-monthly by 2030.

A current wastewater user paying $159.31 bi-monthly, would be paying $250.67 bi-monthly by 2030.

“It is necessary to periodically review rates to ensure that the City can obtain sufficient funds to develop, construct, operate, maintain, and manage its water and wastewater system on a continuing basis, in full compliance with federal, state, and local requirements,” a staff report prepared by Interim City Manager Joan Phillipe said.

Council and staff will convene on the matter at their next regularly scheduled council meeting this Wednesday January 28 at 6:30 p.m. at Nevada City Hall, 317 Broad Street.

“It is recommended that City Council select a rate option for both water and wastewater and direct staff to initiate the Proposition 218 noticing process. This will involve public engagement and noticing to receive and consider feedback regarding the proposed rates and with public meetings and a hearing as mandated by Proposition 218 for formal adoption of rate adjustments,” the staff report said.

City to look at Enterprise Fleet services

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, the city of Nevada City will consider approval of an agreement with Enterprise Fleet Management to the tune of up to $400,000 per year.

“To increase fleet efficiency, reliability, and reduce expensive repair and fuel costs, staff has researched leasing options that would be a benefit to the organization,” the city staff report reads. “The City of Nevada City currently purchases all fleet vehicles on a cash basis, meaning the entire cost of each vehicle is paid at the time of purchase. This can be heavily impactful to the city as a whole and difficult to adequately budget for. Utilizing Enterprise Fleet Management would yield moderate savings while simultaneously improving fleet viability, safety, and appearance.”

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