Cincinnati, Ohio, and I’m sipping my coffee, trying to wrap my head around this one – a man who struck and killed a county deputy with his car the day after his teenage son was fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer was convicted of murder on Friday. I mean, what a tragic and messed-up situation. Rodney Hinton Jr. was found guilty of murder, reckless homicide, and felonious assault for the crash that killed Deputy Larry Ray Henderson Jr. while he was directing traffic for a college graduation. Bless their hearts, this whole thing is just a big ol’ mess.
So, Rodney Hinton Jr. pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, and his lawyer, Clyde Bennett II, said he would appeal the conviction. I’m not sure what’s more surprising, the fact that Hinton’s lawyer thought an insanity plea would work or that the jury didn’t buy it. Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey said the jury’s verdict brought some closure and helped provide justice for Henderson, and I guess that’s true, but it’s still a pretty sad situation all around.
The case focused heavily on Hinton’s mental state during the crash, with his lawyer saying he was having a psychotic episode and trying to kill himself. But prosecutors argued that Hinton was distraught and grieving, but he still made the choice to aim his car at the deputy, and his mental illnesses didn’t stop him from understanding what was right and wrong. I mean, it’s not like I’m a lawyer or anything, but it seems like the prosecution made some pretty solid points.
Hinton faces 15 years to life in prison with the possibility of parole on the murder conviction, and sentencing is scheduled for November 16. The deadly crash came a few hours after Hinton and other family members watched police body camera footage showing the officer fatally shoot his 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton. Somewhere in Atlanta, a producer thought this sounded like a great idea for a TV drama, but in reality, it’s just a tragedy.
The officer who shot Ryan Hinton wasn’t charged in his death, and Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said that a review of the shooting found that the officer was “legally justified in his use of force.” I’m not going to get into the whole debate about police brutality and whatnot, but it’s clear that this whole situation is a big mess. Hinton had a fully loaded gun and pointed it at officers when they confronted him, which doesn’t exactly help his case.
Deputy Larry Ray Henderson Jr. had a long career with the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office and was described as a selfless colleague, dedicated public servant, and someone who regularly volunteered for the most dangerous assignments. You can’t make this stuff up, folks – a guy who dedicated his life to serving and protecting his community gets killed by a guy who was having a psychotic episode. It’s just a sad, sad situation.
In the end, it’s clear that justice has been served, but it’s not like anyone’s really “winning” here. Hinton’s going to prison, and a good man lost his life. As I finish my coffee and wrap up this article, I’m just left shaking my head – what a terrible, tragic situation. And that’s a wrap, folks, just another day in the wild world of news, where you can’t even begin to imagine what’s going to happen next.
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
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