Jurors in the murder trial of Rodney Hinton Jr. heard witness testimony and opening statements Wednesday, and toured the uptown Cincinnati site where Hinton is accused of killing Hamilton County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Henderson.
The first day of the trial largely developed along lines suggested in pretrial hearings. In his opening statement, Hinton's attorney, Clyde Bennett II, traced 40-year-old Hinton's long history of mental illness dating back to his 20s, including stints on multiple anti-psychotic medications and an incident in which he was found roaming streets in Middletown unclothed. Bennett also emphasized the emotional distress Hinton experienced witnessing video of Cincinnati Police shooting his son, Ryan Hinton, during a chase over a stolen vehicle in Price Hill.
"If you follow the law, and you listen to the serious mental illnesses that Mr. Hinton had, and the extreme stress he went through, there is only one verdict that is important for each and every count of the indictment," Bennett said. "And that's not guilty by reason of insanity."
In her opening statement, Hamilton County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Heidi Rosales told jurors the elder Hinton's actions leading to the death of Henderson were deliberate and well-documented by video and photographs, and that his anguish over his son doesn't support his insanity plea under state law.
"In Ohio, emotional distress does not excuse murder," she said.
After multiple days of jury selection, the prosecution and defense settled on a jury including five white men, five white women and two Black women from a pool of 107 prospective jurors. Four alternates — one Black man and three white men — were also selected.
During the first day of the trial Wednesday, jurors heard witness testimony, including some from Henderson's wife, Lena Henderson. She tearfully described the final time she spoke to her husband as he was leaving for the traffic detail where he died.
"From ... the bottom of the stairs or the entryway, he yelled up one more time, 'I love you,' " she said.
Both prosecution and defense agree Hinton drove into Henderson near the University of Cincinnati May 2, 2025. The incident happened shortly after Hinton watched body camera footage of his son being shot and killed by Cincinnati Police.
Bennett moved to change Hinton's plea from not guilty to not guilty by reason of insanity at a hearing Dec. 10, 2025.
At that hearing, a psychologist attested to Hinton's mental illness. Two others experts later filed reports with the court echoing those findings. At the December 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.
Prosecutors announced in January they believe they are barred from seeking the death penalty. Hamilton County Judge Jody Luebbers ruled similarly earlier this year.
“Mr. Hinton deliberately killed an innocent man,” Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich said in a statement at the time. “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.”
Hinton faces the possibility of life in prison if he is convicted. His trial could take weeks.
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