The trial of Rodney Hinton Jr., accused of driving into and killing Deputy Larry Henderson in May 2025, will hinge on whether Hinton was legally insane when the crash occurred. Hinton has diagnoses of schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder with psychotic features, and experts dispute whether those conditions rendered him unable to recognize wrongdoing. Prosecutors say he intentionally struck the deputy after viewing bodycam footage the day before showing his son being shot; the defense argues his psychiatric state prevented awareness of wrongfulness. Jury selection begins Oct. 5, with opening statements expected Oct. 8.
Insanity Defense at Center of Trial After Man Allegedly Drove Into, Killed Deputy
A Hamilton County Deputy Sheriff was struck by a car on Martin Luther King Drive near UC on Friday May 2, 2025. The car then crashed nearby.
The prosecution's case against Rodney Hinton Jr., accused of deliberately driving a car into Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson in May 2025 and killing him, now turns largely on Hinton's mental state at the time of the crash.
What Prosecutors Say
Prosecutors have charged Hinton, 40, with aggravated murder. They say he intentionally accelerated into Deputy Henderson after viewing body-worn camera footage the previous day showing Hinton's 18-year-old son, Ryan, being shot by a Cincinnati police officer. Investigators allege Hinton "drove into the first police officer he saw."
Insanity Claim And Mental-Health Evidence
Hinton's defense attorneys are expected to ask a jury to find him not guilty by reason of insanity, arguing that he suffered from mental illness that left him unable to recognize the wrongfulness of his actions. Hinton has been diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and bipolar disorder with psychotic features.
Rodney Hinton Jr., 39, who is accused of killing a Hamilton County sheriff's deputy by intentionally driving a car into him, appears in court for a hearing in Cincinnati on Dec. 10, 2025.
A psychologist appointed by the court testified at a pretrial hearing that Hinton's ability to make rational decisions likely was impaired by his illness. The defense's expert, local psychologist Maria Espinola, concluded in a report that Hinton could not recognize the wrongfulness of his actions at the time of the crash. Prosecutors challenged Espinola's conclusion as lacking a clear explanation of the clinical basis for her opinion, but Judge Jody Luebbers ruled she may testify at trial.
Death Penalty Ineligibility
Prosecutors initially sought the death penalty, but after expert reports and pretrial hearings it was determined Hinton has a serious mental illness that makes him ineligible for capital punishment under Ohio law. That determination does not preclude a murder conviction; under state law, a mental-health diagnosis alone does not automatically meet the legal standard for insanity.
Background And Timeline
Court records trace Hinton's psychiatric history back several years. After a 2023 arrest on domestic violence charges he was placed on suicide watch and later hospitalized with symptoms consistent with paranoid schizophrenia, reporting auditory and visual hallucinations and paranoid delusions. He was prescribed antipsychotic medication but reportedly stopped taking it at some point.
Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson
On May 1, 2025, Hinton's son, Ryan, was fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer behind an East Price Hill apartment complex after running toward the officer while holding a gun the officer believed to be pointed at him. Devastated by the shooting, Hinton told a psychologist he entered a "blackout state" and that viewing the body-camera video of the shooting left him unable to stay.
On the morning of May 2, family members worried about Hinton's condition and took his car keys. They later returned to the police building parking lot at about 12:40 p.m. to retrieve his Ford Focus. At roughly 12:50 p.m. Hinton drove out of the lot; a relative followed but lost sight of him. Investigators place Hinton in Clifton soon afterward, traveling east on Martin Luther King Drive near Burnet Woods, where Deputy Henderson was directing traffic for a university graduation.
According to investigators, Hinton drove into a median, paused just before the intersection where Henderson stood, then accelerated into oncoming lanes and struck the deputy before the car hit a utility pole. Hinton was arrested shortly after the collision.
Upcoming Trial
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Oct. 5 in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court before Judge Jody Luebbers. Selection is expected to take about three days, with opening statements planned for Oct. 8. Hinton faces a possible sentence of life in prison if convicted.
Note: Under Ohio law, a diagnosis of mental illness alone does not automatically establish legal insanity; the jury will decide whether Hinton understood the wrongfulness of his actions at the time.
Help us improve.
