Share This Article
Cincinnati City Council members recently met behind closed doors on after claims surfaced. The city was negotiating what the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) described as a “secret settlement” in the high-profile “Ryan Hinton case.”
The executive session lasted more than two hours on Monday, January 12. However, no details were released afterward by city officials, WLWT reported.
Council members and the city manager’s office declined to offer any information about what was discussed. Reporters were met with “no comment” when they asked council members exiting the meeting.
This meeting came after FOP President Ken Kober publicly accused City Manager Sheryl Long of negotiating behind the scenes with the family of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton, who was fatally shot by police in May 2025 during a stolen-vehicle pursuit. The case has been a source of tension in Cincinnati, according to Fox19.
Why council met amid secret settlement concerns
This secret settlement concerns are rooted in public suspicion that negotiations may have occurred without full transparency.
The FOP claims Long has been working quietly on a settlement with the Hinton family. It is potentially worth millions of dollars. Kober characterized the process as rushed and conducted “in secret.” He said it would represent a “backroom deal” that could send a troubling message to law enforcement and the community alike.
Long denied the allegations, stating that no settlement has been reached. She said that no secret negotiations are underway. She called the claims “baseless allegations” and said any discussions are neither rushed nor hidden from City Council.
An attorney for the Hinton family also expressed surprise at the union’s claims, telling The Enquirer that the family had not been alerted to any settlement negotiations worth millions and that no civil lawsuit had been filed at this time.
What happened in the Hinton case
The events that led to secret settlement concerns trace back to May 1, 2025. On that day, Cincinnati police shot and killed Ryan Hinton, 18, during an encounter linked to a stolen car.
The involved officer was later cleared of wrongdoing by Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich. She determined the officer’s use of force was legally justified after Hinton allegedly ignored commands. He was fleeing in a vehicle with a handgun.
The tragedy deepened when Rodney Hinton Jr., Ryan’s father, was accused of fatally striking Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Henderson with a vehicle. This occurred one day after his son’s death. Prosecutors say he acted intentionally after viewing body camera footage of the shooting.
Rodney Hinton Jr. is expected to plead not guilty by reason of insanity in that case, according to Dayton 24/7 Now reporting.
Council reaction and ongoing questions
Secret settlement concerns have generated sharp responses from several council members.
Council Member Jeff Cramerding told Local 12 he would oppose any settlement, arguing it could send the wrong message to citizens and police officers. He noted that any settlement would require a council vote, not unilateral action.
Other members have expressed frustration with a lack of information. Council Member Seth Walsh was quoted in earlier reporting as calling for greater clarity from the administration. He said council members should be fully informed when major legal matters arise.
Despite repeated inquiries by local news outlets, the city manager’s office says it has “nothing to share” at this time, and council members have not disclosed details from the executive session.
What’s next for Cincinnati
This secret settlement concerns will likely remain in focus as Cincinnati moves forward with scheduled public meetings.
The council’s Public Safety Committee meeting and the full City Council session later this week are expected to provide additional opportunities for discussion. However, it’s unclear how much will be disclosed publicly.
Because Ohio law allows certain legal discussions to occur in closed session, officials may not be able to publicly disclose all information from the executive session. However, transparency advocates in the community are pushing for clearer communication and accountability.
Broader implications
Moreover, this issue resonate in a city still coping with the aftermath of a highly controversial officer-involved shooting.
In past years, scrutiny has followed Cincinnati over government transparency. This scrutiny includes the 2020 “Gang of Five” text-messaging scandal. That incident arose when council members violated Ohio’s open-meetings laws by privately communicating about public business. Although unrelated in subject matter, that episode highlighted the community’s ongoing sensitivity. It illustrated concerns about how officials make decisions behind closed doors.
As Cincinnati continues to navigate the fallout from the Hinton case and secret settlement concerns, local leaders will need to balance legal confidentiality with public demand for openness.
Summary
Cincinnati City Council held a more than two-hour closed-door executive session. This occurred amid allegations of a possible “secret settlement” related to the fatal police shooting of 18-year-old Ryan Hinton. This has fueled concerns about transparency.
The meeting followed claims by the Cincinnati Fraternal Order of Police that City Manager Sheryl Long was quietly negotiating a multimillion-dollar settlement with the Hinton family. Long has strongly denied these allegations. City officials disclosed no details from the session and declined to comment.
The May 2025 police shooting of Hinton sparked the controversy. Prosecutors ruled the officer’s actions legally justified. The city later pursued a separate criminal case involving Hinton’s father.
Several council members oppose any settlement and voice frustration over the lack of information. They emphasize that the council must approve any agreement. As public meetings approach, community members continue to question what, if anything, city leaders discuss behind the scenes. This highlights ongoing tensions between legal confidentiality and demands for transparency at City Hall.
