[dramatic music]
♪ ♪
- Hi, everyone, I'm Dan Abrams, and this is "Court Cam."
- You should be ashamed of yourself.
- I want dude off my case. [spits]
♪ ♪
- Got a runner.
[people yelling]
- Get out!
- This is not TV court. This is for real.
♪ ♪
- First up, we're in Las Vegas, Nevada,
for a sentencing hearing.
30-year-old Deobra Redden has pled guilty
to attempted battery.
Nine months earlier, police say Redden,
who already had a long criminal history,
including convictions for domestic violence and battery,
threatened to break the kneecaps of another man.
He pled guilty and was released
on his own recognizance.
But when Redden failed to appear
for a scheduled court hearing,
a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Today, he appears before Judge Mary Kay Holthus
to hear his sentence.
He's represented by public defender Caesar Almase.
The prosecution is asking
that Redden serve 19 to 48 months in prison.
- Mr. Redden, is there anything you want to say
on your own behalf before I pronounce sentence?
- Have you looked at your criminal history?
- I mean, you lived it, I suppose.
- Yeah.
Three felonies, a gross, nine misdemeanors,
multiple DVs.
Got a lot going on, sir.
Battery on a protected person, robberies,
attempt home invasion.
Mr. Almase?
- Judge Holthus considers the defense's request
but ultimately disagrees.
- I appreciate that, but I think it's time
that he gets a taste of something else,
because I just can't with that history.
In accordance with the laws of the state of Nevada,
this court--
- Hey! - Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey!
Whoa. - Hey. Hey.
- Hey. - [grunts]
- That's [bleep] up.
- Hey.
- [grunts] - [yells indistinctly]
[tape whirs]
- Without warning,
Redden charges across the courtroom,
launching himself over the bench and on top of the judge.
- Whoa. Hey! Hey! - Oh, my God.
- That's the court clerk, Michael Lasso,
coming to the aid of the 62-year-old judge.
- Hey! - [bleep].
- And Lasso soon gets some help
from Marshal Shane Brandon
as they try to restrain the defendant.
- Redden continues fighting
as Chief Deputy District Attorney Jory Scarborough
enters the fray.
But Redden refuses to quit.
- [bleep] - [yells indistinctly]
- So Lasso starts throwing his own punches.
- [screaming] - [grunting]
- Get off her. Get off her.
- Additional marshals enter the courtroom.
Redden is eventually subdued.
- Please. Please. Please.
[tense music]
- Judge Holthus hit her head against the wall,
suffered some bumps and bruises,
but made a full recovery.
Marshal Brandon dislocated his shoulder
and suffered a gash on his forehead
that required several stitches.
Redden suffered no major injuries
and was taken into custody.
For the courtroom incident, Redden was charged
with attempted murder against an older person,
battery, battery on a protected person,
and other charges.
♪ ♪
Five days after the attack on Judge Holthus,
Redden returned to court,
this time surrounded by marshals and wearing cuffs,
protective mitts, and a spit mask.
♪ ♪
The judge returned too,
this time successfully imposing her sentence
for Redden's original charges.
- For purposes of the record, I want to make it clear
that I am not changing or modifying the sentence
I was in the process of imposing last week
before I was interrupted by Defendant's actions.
♪ ♪
- Redden was sentenced to 19 to 48 months in prison.
As for his new charges, the case is pending.
If found guilty of those charges,
he's facing anywhere from 8 to 60 years in prison.
♪ ♪
Next, we're in Fairfield, Iowa,
for a sentencing hearing.
18-year-old Jeremy Goodale has pled guilty
to first-degree murder.
♪ ♪
Two years earlier, police say Goodale
and his classmate, Willard Miller,
both 16 at the time, conspired to kill
Miller's Spanish teacher, 66-year-old Nohema Graber.
The reason?
Miller was upset because Nohema gave him
a failing grade in her class.
Nohema, a wife and mother of three,
was walking in the park one afternoon when police say
Miller snuck up behind her and struck her several times
with a baseball bat.
After Goodale also struck Nohema with the bat,
the boys covered her body with a tarp and wheelbarrow.
Police discovered her lifeless body the next day.
After Goodale and Miller both posted about the incident
on social media, they were quickly arrested.
Both defendants confessed to the crime,
pled guilty, and were charged as adults.
♪ ♪
Today, Goodale appears before Judge Shawn Showers
to hear his sentence.
Because he was a juvenile at the time of the murder,
Goodale will be spared the death penalty and must,
according to Iowa law, be given a chance at parole.
The state is asking for a minimum sentence
of 25 years in prison.
Before he's sentenced, Goodale delivers an apology.
- What I've taken can never be replaced.
I didn't know how taking Ms. Graber's life
would affect you.
I'm sorry I didn't stop this from happening
in the first place.
[sniffles, exhales heavily]
I'm so sorry.
- When he's finished, Nohema's son, Christian,
delivers a surprising message to the defendant.
- I thought a lot about what I was gonna say in this moment.
[somber music]
Mostly, I wanna think about what my mother would want.
And as you all know, my mother loved everybody.
That includes you.
I really do believe that you--
that you feel bad for what you did.
And--and I believe in you, and I do forgive you.
- The last person to speak is Judge Showers.
- The nature of the offense is heinous.
But this was not cheating on a math test.
This was the premeditated murder of a human being
because Mr. Miller did not like his grade.
I've considered your youth and developing brain
along with your intent and actions.
The court finds the defendants shall be sentenced
to life with the possibility of parole after 25 years.
[tense music]
- Goodale will be eligible for parole in the year 2048,
when he'd be 45 years old.
As for Miller, he was sentenced to life in prison
with the possibility of parole after 35 years,
when he'd be 55 years old.
- Next, we're in Ann Arbor, Michigan,
for an arraignment.
♪ ♪
28-year-old Shaquill-O'Neal Anfernee-Hardaway Tubbs
has been charged with assault
with intent to do great bodily harm,
aggravated domestic violence,
and destruction of personal property.
Two days earlier, police say Tubbs got
into a physical altercation with the woman he lives with.
He also smashed a phone
and assaulted a male acquaintance.
This is his second domestic violence charge
in three months, and if found guilty,
Tubbs could be looking at 15 years in prison.
Today, he appears before Magistrate Tamara Garwood
to find out if he'll make bond.
Tubbs is being represented by public defender Natalie Pate.
The prosecutor is Jennifer Tink.
- In this case, Mr. Tubbs has
an extensive domestic violence history,
in particular with the same victim in this case.
We would be asking for a $500,000 surety bond.
♪ ♪
- Thank you. Ms. Pate?
- Thank you, Your Honor.
I do ask for the court's consideration
in adding a 10% privilege
to the cash surety component of bond.
- Uh, Ma'am? Ma'am?
Can I say--can I say-- - Mr. Tubbs--
- I thought you were-- - Mr. Tubbs--
- Can I get a breakout room with my attorney?
- You already had a breakout room with Ms. Pate.
- Yeah, but we never discussed nothing like that.
Can I get, like, five minutes before we get to that?
- Stop talking. Just stop talking.
Stop talking. Stop talking.
I will put you into a breakout room,
but I will tell you this.
When you come out of that breakout room,
if you interrupt me again,
you will be muted.
- Tubbs exits the room,
and a deputy helps him connect with his attorney
for an offline conversation.
A few minutes later, the deputy returns
but without Tubbs.
- What happened to Mr. Tubbs?
- Uh, he left.
He got up and walked out of the room.
- Okay, well, we didn't finish with him.
- I'll go talk to him and see what's going on.
- Okay, thanks.
I got nothing else to say to you.
Thank you.
You heard me?
- I--oh, I heard you.
I heard you. - Oh, okay.
Where is my lawyer at?
But now it's just like so much [bleep].
- Mr. Tubbs, I'm just gonna mute you for now
so I can hear Ms. Pate.
- You ain't... [muted speech]
- With Tubbs now muted,
his lawyer continues to address bond conditions.
- Well, Mr. Tubbs would like me to tell the court
that he is not a flight risk,
and he has been a county resident his whole life,
and he does have the support of his mother.
- Thank you.
As far as bond conditions are concerned,
I will unmute you, Mr. Tubbs,
because I want to make sure you understand
each of your bond conditions.
- But for one, I'm not a flight wi--risk.
For two, I have no income.
What's wrong with putting me on a GPS tether?
- The judge mutes Tubbs again
and expresses concerns about a potential bond.
- You've indicated that you are not a flight risk,
but in your criminal history,
I can see a conviction for tampering
with an electronic monitoring device.
So that demonstrates to me
that you are, in fact, a flight risk.
So with that information, I am not going to release you
on your own personal recognizance.
The only way you would be released--
you're muted, so it might make more sense
for you to listen to me, but that's your choice.
♪ ♪
- Tubbs flips off the judge before standing up.
- I would note for the record, Mr. Tubbs is standing,
yelling, and giving me the finger.
I'm gonna set a cash bond--
$500,000, cash or surety, no 10% privilege.
♪ ♪
- Tubbs has pled not guilty.
His case is pending.
- Next, we go to a hearing in Detroit, Michigan.
♪ ♪
44-year-old Michael Goins has been charged
with driving an unregistered vehicle.
A month earlier, Goins was ticketed and pled not guilty.
And today, he appears virtually
before Judge Sean Perkins
to discuss next steps in the case.
- Michael Wayne Goins, you here?
- Yes, sir, Michael Goins here.
- Do you have bail and registration, sir?
- Yes, sir.
- Let's see what you have, please.
[tense music]
♪ ♪
Very well.
You can put it down.
♪ ♪
- Goins catches a break.
Now all he needs to do is exit the call quietly.
But that is not what happens.
♪ ♪
- Mr. Goins?
- Looks like Goins' hearing may not be finished after all.
- You're in contempt of court, Mr. Goins.
Yeah, I heard your comment, sir.
- I know, sir. I'm sorry.
- 'Cause now we're gonna deal with it, all right?
We'll take you last, 'cause I'm gonna show you--
I'ma show you how that can--
how I can be what you said I am.
- I understand.
- While Goins waits on the call,
the judge spends the next two hours
dealing with other cases.
- All right, Mr. Goins.
- Hello.
- What did you call me?
♪ ♪
- I didn't call you anything.
I thought the phone was off.
- No.
You did call me something.
And you thought the phone was off,
and you didn't think I heard you.
So let me hear what you called me.
- Uh...
what the-- [chuckles]
A-a-a [bleep], Your Honor.
- Yeah, that's what I thought.
♪ ♪
- Your Honor, please--
please accept my apology, man.
I'm sorry, man.
I don't need these problems, please.
- No, I didn't bring the problems on you.
- I know you didn't.
- I tried to do the best I could,
just like I've done everybody else
to get everybody outta here efficiently
and give 'em a fair deal
and give 'em a fair opportunity to be heard.
- Judge Perkins explains the situation
to Elwood Berry, the public defender.
- Right now, well, we can have a contempt hearing.
Because in the court's presence,
he laid out some very descriptive expletives.
And I don't know what I did to him.
Maybe he doesn't like the way I run my show.
I think I need to put him in a breakout room
with you, Mr. Berry.
- After a few private minutes in a breakout room,
Berry tries to smooth things over with the judge.
- Your Honor, the situation is this.
The Goins have a 20-year-old autistic child,
who, in the last 24 hours, has been very, very difficult.
And when Mr. Goins spoke those words,
he was directing his comments
to his wife about the difficulties they've had.
And inadvertently, the channel was open to the court.
But these comments were not directed at the court.
- I don't--I don't agree.
♪ ♪
I think Mr. Goins has all but admitted
they were directed to the court.
- Judge Perkins may not be buying the explanation,
but he still shows the defendant some compassion.
- I get it.
Dealing with a child who's autistic
and having to deal with that can be a heavy burden.
So you know something, Mr. Goins?
I don't--I'm gonna let it go at that.
I'ma pray for you and your wife and your family.
I'm gonna wish you a very happy new year.
And I hope you can control your frustrations
a little bit better next time, all right?
- Thank you. I appreciate you.
- Judge Perkins dropped the contempt charge
and Goins' case was dismissed.
- Next, we're in Burlington, Vermont, for an arraignment.
[tense music]
52-year-old Eric Edson has been charged
with robbery with a weapon, assault, grand larceny,
and a number of other charges.
♪ ♪
A week earlier, police were called
to do a welfare check on Edson
and found him passed out in a running car.
When he woke up, police tried to question him,
but Edson drove away,
injuring two officers in the process.
At the time, Edson was on furlough
for a previous sentence of grand larceny
and eluding law enforcement.
He also has a criminal record dating back to 1987
with over 40 felony convictions,
including home invasion and burglary.
- Nothing's gonna change this man.
This is what he is.
- After fleeing from police,
investigators say he later ditched the car,
stole a bike,
and made his way to Lake Champlain,
where he used a paddleboard
and later a sailboat to elude police.
♪ ♪
Eventually, Edson grounded the sailboat and fled on foot
into a wooded area only accessible by boat.
A local man who knew Edson was being chased by police
captured the scene on his phone camera.
- This dude's trying to run away.
He stole this boat.
- Police temporarily suspended their search.
But a week later, Edson reemerged
in nearby Lamoille County
and was spotted on a home security camera.
That's when investigators say he stole a tractor,
then a dump truck before heading north
to Franklin County as police closed in.
Finally, Edson stole a kayak.
But by then, when he tried to make his way to shore,
police had him surrounded.
And after a brief foot chase, he was arrested.
Edson was treated at a local hospital
with minor injuries and officially charged.
Today, he appears remotely from jail
before Judge Michael Harris to hear
if he'll be released on bond.
Seated in the gallery is Dina Wells Edson,
the defendant's wife.
Before things even get started,
Edson makes a comment about one of his charges.
- I'm not guilty of armed robbery.
I'm just gonna let everybody know that right now.
- Well-- - I'm not a violent person,
and I didn't mean to-- I didn't do anything.
- And I think your attorney is--what they will
usually recommend is that you not make statements.
You're presumed innocent, sir, and you're gonna have--
have the same rights as anyone.
- The judge denies Edson bond,
and he pleads not guilty to all charges.
As the hearing comes to an end,
his wife sends him a supportive wave...
- I love you.
- And tells a local news reporter
that her husband is not a threat to the community.
- He's a good person, and anybody will tell you
that he's not a violent person.
- Because he's a habitual offender,
if he's found guilty,
Edson could be sentenced to 15 years in prison.
His case is pending.
That's it for this edition of "Court Cam."
I'm Dan Abrams.
Thanks for watching.
♪ ♪