Prosecutors say they can't pursue the death penalty against a man accused of hitting and killing a Hamilton County Sheriffs Deputy with his car.
Rodney Hinton Jr. allegedly drove into Deputy Larry Henderson in Clifton May 2, 2025. The incident happened shortly after Hinton watched body camera footage of his son, Ryan Hinton, being shot and killed by Cincinnati Police. Henderson died of his injuries.
Hinton's attorney Clyde Bennett has argued that he suffers from severe bipolar disorder and wasn't able to make rational decisions at the time of the killing.
Bennett moved to change Hinton's plea from not guilty to not guilty by reason of insanity at a hearing Dec. 10.
At that hearing, a psychologist testified attesting to Hinton's illness. Since that time, two others experts have filed reports with the court echoing those findings.
At the Dec. 10 hearing, the court also heard testimony about an incident in which Hinton was hospitalized in 2024 for his mental state and given anti-psychotic medication. One psychologist testified that Hinton witnessing the video of his son's shooting likely further destabilized his mental health.
At a hearing Monday, prosecutors said given the expert testimony, they won't pursue the death penalty for Hinton. Ohio law bars capital punishment for those who are suffering from severe mental illness, including bipolar disorder.
“Mr. Hinton deliberately killed an innocent man,” Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said in a statement. “Although the law prevents seeking the death penalty, my office will pursue the harshest sentence available, life without the possibility of parole, to make certain he never returns to our community.”
Hamilton County Common Pleas Court Judge Jody Leubbers must accept the prosecutor's stipulation regarding the death penalty. Hinton will be in court next Jan. 14.
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