Court Erupts as Grieving Father Denied Bond

Chaos erupted in a Cincinnati courtroom Tuesday morning when Rodney Hinton Jr., accused of killing Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Henderson, appeared for his bond hearing amid heightened tensions. The proceeding was briefly halted when a man claiming to be Hinton’s brother approached the front of the courtroom, shouting “That’s my brother,” prompting deputies to immediately escort the defendant out until order was restored, according to Fox 19.

Hamilton County Municipal Judge Tyrone Yates ultimately denied bond for Hinton, who faces aggravated murder charges in the May 2 death of Henderson, a recently retired deputy who was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during graduation ceremonies. “There will be an order of remand with no bond. Please assure the safety of the defendant and any mental health treatment that can be granted,” Yates declared after hearing evidence that Hinton had deliberately targeted the deputy one day after his own son was fatally shot by Cincinnati police.

Mental Health Concerns Take Center Stage

Defense attorney Clyde Bennett II entered a not guilty plea on Hinton’s behalf while arguing that his client’s mental state should be the primary consideration in the case. “I don’t think he was a cop killer. I think he’s not in his right mind,” Bennett told the court, advocating that Hinton “should be treated like any other mentally ill person that commits a crime under the auspices, control and authority of a mental defect in the condition,” as reported by CNN.

Prosecuting attorney Ryan Nelson countered that Hinton’s current mental state made him a “giant mental health question mark” who poses “clear and present danger and substantial risk of physical harm to law enforcement officers and to the public, as evidenced by his conduct.” The judge was persuaded by this argument, despite Bennett’s noting that Hinton had no previous felony convictions, had strong ties to the area, and was not a flight risk.

Officer Details Events Leading to Deputy’s Death

Cincinnati Police Officer Carl Beebe provided testimony describing how Hinton had visited police headquarters earlier on May 2 to view body camera footage of his 18-year-old son Ryan Hinton being fatally shot by police the previous day. Family attorney Michael Wright told reporters that Hinton was “very distraught” after viewing the footage, which showed his son being shot during a pursuit following a stolen vehicle report.

According to Beebe’s testimony, after leaving police headquarters, Hinton drove to the area near the University of Cincinnati where Henderson was directing traffic. “Based on witness statements as well as the video, the vehicle accelerated quickly, proceeded eastbound, crossed into the oncoming lanes of traffic… directly at where deputy Henderson was standing,” Beebe testified, adding that there was no evidence of skid marks or any attempts to stop the vehicle before impact, according to WLWT.

Dueling Investigations Unfold

While Hinton faces aggravated murder charges, his family is simultaneously seeking answers about his son’s death at the hands of police. Ryan Hinton’s grandmother, Tonya Larkin, described her grandson as a “sweet, gentle giant” during a Monday press conference, while expressing that the shooting “should have never happened.”

The family’s attorney, Michael Wright, has filed public records requests for body camera footage and police reports from all officers present during the shooting. “We’re going to analyze frame by frame in each one of these videos to determine why the officer made that deadly decision to shoot and kill Ryan,” Wright said, acknowledging the dual tragedies affecting both families: “This family lost their son, and this police officer lost his life.”

Heightened Security Amid Community Tensions

The courthouse was filled with more than 50 police officers alongside dozens of family members and protesters, highlighting the community tensions surrounding the case. For safety reasons, Hinton is being held in neighboring Clermont County Jail rather than in Hamilton County facilities.

Ohio Fraternal Order of Police President Jay McDonald issued a statement Monday claiming Hinton had “intentionally murdered a retired deputy who was working special duty at a graduation just because he was a police officer.” Meanwhile, Ryan Hinton’s aunt, Theresa Larkin, told NBC News after the hearing: “I’ve known Rodney since I was 15 years old. That wasn’t the Rodney that I knew. It was like his soul wasn’t even in his body.”