Ohio Jury Convicts Rodney Hinton Jr. in Deputy's Death

An Ohio jury found 40-year-old Rodney Hinton Jr. guilty of murder, reckless homicide, and felonious assault on Friday following a trial in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court. The panel of seven women and five men rejected Hinton's plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, concluding that he intentionally drove his vehicle into Hamilton County Special Deputy Larry Henderson on May 2, 2025.

The fatal crash occurred near the University of Cincinnati where graduation ceremonies were taking place and Henderson was directing traffic. Hours earlier, Hinton had visited a police department office in the West End to watch body camera footage of his son, 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, being fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer the previous day.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that Hinton acted out of anger and grief but maintained a clear understanding of right from wrong. Assistant Prosecutor Heidi Rosales stated during opening arguments that Hinton knew his actions were wrong and simply did not care. State witnesses and forensic psychologists testified that Hinton waited for traffic to clear in the center lane before accelerating straight toward the traffic island where Henderson was standing.

Conversely, defense attorney Clyde Bennett II argued that Hinton suffered from severe mental illness, including schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder, and was experiencing a psychotic episode during the incident. Bennett contended that Hinton was not aiming for the deputy, but rather attempting to take his own life by crashing into a utility pole near where Henderson was standing.

While jurors convicted Hinton of murder, they opted against the more serious charges of aggravated murder, instead finding him guilty of reckless homicide on those counts. A murder conviction in Ohio carries a mandatory sentence of 15 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole, while the reckless homicide counts carry a maximum sentence of three additional years.

Following the verdict, Bennett expressed disappointment with the outcome, stating that he and the legal team plan to file an appeal within 30 days of sentencing. He maintained that the fight was not over for the Hinton family.

Sentencing for Rodney Hinton Jr. is scheduled for November 16 at 9 a.m.