Ohio jury finds Rodney Hinton Jr. guilty of murdering sheriff's deputy
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The gist
An Ohio jury found Rodney Hinton Jr. guilty of murder in the death of Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson.
He faces 15 years to life at sentencing, after a trial centered on his mental state.
Background
Rodney Hinton Jr. is the defendant in a Hamilton County, Ohio, case over the death of Larry Henderson, a Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy described as recently retired and a husband, father, foster father and veteran. Hinton's son Ryan Hinton, 19, was fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer during a stolen vehicle investigation in May 2025, and Hinton watched body camera video of the shooting the day before the crash. Hinton pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity; his attorneys acknowledged he struck and killed Henderson but argued severe mental illness, including schizoaffective disorder, left him unable to understand the wrongfulness of his actions. The 10-day trial turned on his mental state on May 2, 2025.
How it unfolded
- May 1, 2025Hinton's son Ryan Hinton, 19, was fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer during a stolen vehicle investigation; Hinton watched body camera video of the shooting.
- May 2, 2025Prosecution and defense agree Hinton drove his car into Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson while the deputy worked a traffic detail near the University of Cincinnati.
- Oct 5, 2026Jury selection began in Hinton's trial.
- Oct 16, 2026Defense and prosecution finished calling witnesses; closing arguments were scheduled for the following Tuesday.
- Oct 20, 2026Closing arguments concluded; the jury selected a foreperson and deliberations were set to begin Wednesday morning.
- Oct 21, 2026Jurors found Hinton guilty on murder, felonious assault and reckless homicide charges in Henderson's death.
- Oct 22, 2026On Day 2 of deliberations the jury asked Judge Jody Luebbers to explain the difference between two aggravated murder counts; a WCPO report said the jury had not reached a verdict in six hours on day one.
- Nov 16, 2026Sentencing hearing scheduled at 9 a.m.; Hinton faces 15 years to life in prison on the murder charges, with the possibility of parole.
Who’s saying what
- Defense
- Attorney Clyde Bennett II argued Hinton did not understand the wrongfulness of his conduct due to acute psychotic symptoms, was aiming for a utility pole rather than the deputy, and may have been trying to kill himself; he vowed to appeal.
- Prosecution
- Assistant Prosecutor Kate Burroughs said the evidence left no question it was Hinton's purpose and specific intent to kill Deputy Henderson, calling it "deliberate, aggressive, purposeful, intentional."
- Expert
- Prosecution forensic psychologist Jennifer O'Donnell testified Hinton appeared to understand his conduct was wrong, citing his demeanor afterward and that he obeyed traffic laws while driving from a police facility, and said she did not believe he was experiencing psychosis at the time.
Still unverified
The defense claim that Hinton was suicidal and may have been trying to kill himself rather than Henderson was raised late in the trial; prosecutors noted Bennett did not introduce the idea until late in the trial. Psychologists brought in by each side gave differing impressions of Hinton's mental state at the time of the crash.