Deobra Redden, 30, went viral in early Jan. 2024 for an outlandish and reprehensible action that got him dubbed the “flying felon.”
Chances are that, by now, you have seen the footage of Redden throwing himself, in an admittedly impressive leap, at Judge Mary Kay Holthus after she did not accept his request for probation and was handing him down a prison sentence instead.
The internet had a field day with the bizarre, off-the-wall courtroom recording, with many netizens taking the opportunity for some comedic insights:
However, it is important not to forget that, although we can’t view the attack past its initial clash, the Judge was hurt, being left with a dislocated shoulder and requiring 25 stitches to the head.
Moreover, the fact remains that Redden made a decision – even if in an impulse spurred by reported mental illness, which includes schizophrenia – that he can’t take back. A decision that will land him in prison for much longer than he was going to be sentenced to for the previous battery charge.
Flying straight to prison
To uphold the court and judicial system’s integrity, Judge Holthus, after requesting that the defendant be brought to face her “by all means,” sentenced Redden to the same time in prison she was going to sentence him to originally for the previous battery charge: 19 to 48 months.
That could’ve been it, had Redden not decided to hurt his case by letting his anger out on the marshal.
As a consequence of his reckless, condemnable deed, he was charged with attempted murder against a victim 60 years of age or older, battery on a protected person resulting in substantial bodily harm, extortion by threat, intimidating a public officer, a handful of battery charges, neglect of duty or willful or wanton disregard of safety of person resulting in substantial bodily harm, and unlawful act related to excrement or bodily fluid (which may be because during the attack he spit on an officer). A preliminary hearing on these new charges has been scheduled for Feb. 14.
A total of 13 counts, potential decades of additional prison time if convicted, all for one awful split-second violent impulse. Let this be a lesson: acts done in a blind rage will, almost without exception, create no victors, only losers and further victims.