Rodney Hinton Jr., a Black father accused of avenging the police killing of his son by fatally hitting a deputy together with his automobile, pleaded not responsible to the homicide costs he faces. He additionally appeared because the plaintiff in a lawsuit filed towards the police division. Nonetheless, it’s unclear if he was even the one who really filed it.
A lawsuit filed Might 8 towards Cincinnati police in Hinton’s identify accuses the sheriff’s deputies of Hamilton County of “extreme power” the day of his arrest, claiming he appeared “visibly overwhelmed” earlier than going to courtroom, per NBC Information. The swimsuit additionally claims Hinton was topic to an “ambiance of concern, surveillance, and intimidation” when he appeared at his bond listening to, strolling in to see a crowd of sheriff’s deputies staring him down.
Authorities say Hinton struck and killed Hamilton County Particular Deputy Larry Henderson on Might 2 simply hours after viewing physique digicam footage of his son being fatally killed by different deputies from the division.
The swimsuit claims Hinton was unlawfully detained with out due course of, and likewise lists allegations of conspiracy to deprive rights and emotional misery. The swimsuit seeks $5 million in compensatory damages and $20 million in punitive damages.
Submitting an entire lawsuit whereas behind bars on homicide costs is undoubtedly a plot twist we didn’t see coming. Nonetheless, there’s a good greater twist: Hinton’s prison lawyer claims his shopper really had nothing to do with the submitting.
“I had nothing to do with it. My shopper had nothing to do with it. We have been completely unaware of it till it was reported by the media,” stated lawyer Clyde Bennett II, per The Cincinnati Enquirer.
So… who filed the lawsuit? The report says it was a girl named Antoinette Holloway, who isn’t listed as an lawyer on the swimsuit, however as a “subsequent buddy” — a authorized time period that Cornell Legislation College describes as an individual who “seems in courtroom rather than one other who isn’t competent to take action.” When requested why she appeared to file the lawsuit with out having even spoken to Hinton himself, she instructed The Enquirer she felt compelled to take action after following the information protection of his case. She additionally acknowledged she didn’t imagine Hinton was offered ample authorized counsel.
She additionally filed a habeas corpus petition in federal courtroom requesting Hinton be launched from custody. Hinton was denied bond after being booked on counts of homicide, aggravated homicide and felonious assault.