Ryan Hinton was a teenager, a brother, a son − a neighbor. On May 1, Cincinnati police shot and killed him. His family remembers him as a jokester, a “sweet and gentle giant,” full of love and laughter. Less than two months later, the Hamilton County Prosecutor’s Office declared the killing “legally justified” after an internal investigation that raised more questions than answers.
At the press conference, Prosecutor Connie Pillich didn’t speak Ryan’s name with compassion − instead, she went on the offensive. She spent most of her time painting Ryan as a threat, parading unrelated videos in a clear attempt to smear him and justify his death. She never named the officer who pulled the trigger − shielded by a twisted use of Marsy’s Law − and she made no mention of the officer’s record, including the possibility he had prior use-of-force complaints or misconduct.
Police control the narrative
When an officer pulls the trigger, the police control the storyline, releasing whatever information suits them. Marsy’s Law shields identities, qualified immunity blocks lawsuits, and even “disrespect” can get you arrested − layers of armor that make accountability nearly impossible. Meanwhile, prosecutors who work closely with the police and have a vested interest in the outcome “investigate” the shootings. Outside investigators − at the very least, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation − should handle every police shooting, because right now, truth and justice are slipping further out of reach.
Our lived experiences today are born from the foundations we set many years ago. Our society has created the conditions that have caused the tragic deaths of Ryan Hinton and Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Henderson. White supremacy, racist policies such as the Black Codes and today’s tough-on-crime politics, have led us to a place where police sit on an untouchable pedestal, their actions beyond question, their morality assumed. Put their violence next to anyone else’s and the double standard is glaring.
In an open carry state, we simply cannot predicate the carrying of a weapon as a legitimate fear anymore. Our criminal justice system utilizes vengeance, punishment, force, and weapons to maintain an illusion of safety. These systems must be torn down and made new in order to prevent future harm like the pain devastating our city now.
A stolen car shouldn’t ever end in a deadly police chase
I remember the dumb things I did as a teenager, the laws I ignored, the risky situations I was willing to put myself in to be part of a crowd and to laugh a little longer with my friends. We broke into abandoned buildings, trespassed on property, and more. I am still alive today in part due to the color of my skin. To police, my skin color signified a harmless, reckless teenager, not a criminal, thug, menace, or “adultified” teenager who poses an imminent danger to society.
Are stolen cars and guns a problem? Yes. But how might we restructure our society to prevent this from occurring in the first place? Because a stolen car should never end in a deadly chase.
I see families and a community all in immense pain. I see the compounding of tragedies and the overwhelming grief that will remain long after the anger has dissipated. At some point, we must stop the cycle of violence and reimagine the way we create public safety systems.
Bekky Baker is a program director for Ignite Peace and a licensed social worker. In her current role, she educates the community on anti-racism and nonviolence while working in social movements for change.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: We should be mourning Ryan Hinton not justifying his death | Opinion
Reporting by Bekky Baker / Cincinnati Enquirer
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