CINCINNATI — The man accused of killing Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Larry Henderson in May appeared in court Wednesday to assess his mental state.
Rodney Hinton Jr.’s attorneys are seeking to change his plea from not guilty to not guilty by reason of insanity, according to our news partner, WCPO.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
News Center 7 previously reported that Hinton Jr. allegedly hit and killed Deputy Henderson, a day after his son was shot and killed by Cincinnati Police.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Mother of fallen Centerville police officer has died
- Remains of missing Ohio man believed to be found in reservoir, police say
- City closer to starting Violence Interruption Program
In court on Wednesday, a court-appointed forensic psychologist, Jennifer O’Donnell, said that Hinton Jr. suffers from bipolar disorder.
“In my opinion, his illness impacted his judgment,” O’Donnell said.
Under Ohio law, a person who suffers from a “serious mental illness” that significantly impacts their judgment in relation to their conduct cannot be sentenced to death.
Bipolar disorder is one of the conditions that fall under the Ohio law.
A day before Henderson was killed, Hinton Jr.’s son Ryan was shot and killed by Cincinnati Police Officers.
The following day, Hinton Jr. watched body camera footage of the shooting, and then allegedly ran down Henderson with his car.
“He was overwhelmed with emotion, and he was extremely depressed,” O’Donnell said.
O’Donnell said she believes that Hinton Jr. suffered from bipolar disorder at the time that the incident occurred.
Hinton Jr.’s attorneys are seeking to change his not guilty plea to not guilty by reason of insanity, said O’Donnell.
After speaking with Hinton Jr. and family members, O’Donnell said that he was very distraught and that his bipolar disorder impacted his ability to exercise rational judgment.
Judge Jody Leubbers did not decide on Wednesday.
Two other experts, one appointed by each the defense and prosecution, are scheduled to testify on Hinton Jr.’s mental state before a decision is made.
The next hearing will be held on Jan. 5, 2026.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]