Jury Convicts Man in Deputy Killing
Rodney Hinton Jr. was found guilty of murder after he struck former Hamilton County deputy Larry Henderson with his car, and his attorney is seeking a new trial.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Law Enforcement
A jury found Rodney Hinton Jr. guilty of murder, reckless homicide, and felonious assault in the death of former Hamilton County sheriff's deputy Larry Henderson. Defense attorney Clyde Bennett has filed a motion for a new trial alleging juror misconduct.
Why it matters
The case centers on whether a defendant's statements to a court-appointed psychologist may be considered by jurors, a question that could determine whether the verdict stands. The outcome will also shape how mental-state defenses are presented in serious criminal cases in Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
Hinton has been convicted of murder, reckless homicide, and felonious assault, and the defense has filed a motion for a new trial alleging jurors improperly considered his statements to a psychologist, which Ohio law bars from deliberations. The court has not yet ruled on that motion.
The players
Rodney Hinton Jr.
Hinton is the defendant convicted of murder, reckless homicide, and felonious assault in the death of former Hamilton County deputy Larry Henderson.
Clyde Bennett
Bennett is the defense attorney who filed the motion for a new trial alleging juror misconduct in Hinton's case.
Larry Henderson
Henderson was a former Hamilton County sheriff's deputy who was killed when Hinton struck him with his car.
The details
The defense argued Hinton suffered a psychotic break after watching body-camera video of police killing his son the day before he struck Deputy Henderson. The court-appointed psychologist testified that Hinton admitted to aiming his vehicle at the deputy.
Timeline
May 2025: Hinton struck and killed former Hamilton County deputy Larry Henderson with his car.
November 2, 2026: Defense filed a motion for a new trial alleging juror misconduct.
Legal Context
Ohio law keeps a defendant's statements to a court-appointed psychologist out of jury deliberations, a rule that becomes central when mental-state defenses are raised in serious felony trials. How courts in Hamilton County handle alleged violations of that rule will shape how similar cases are tried.
The motion for a new trial could delay final resolution of the case, and its outcome will determine whether the current verdict stands. Residents of Cincinnati and Hamilton County may follow the ruling as it affects how juror conduct is policed in local criminal trials.
The takeaway
Whether a defendant's statements to a psychologist can reach jurors is a question that affects every case involving a mental-state defense. Readers following local criminal cases should watch how the court resolves the motion for a new trial.
Further reading
For more on how courts and police handle serious cases, see Law Enforcement coverage from Cincinnati.
