Veteran Riverside County Prosecutor Departs for Loyola Law School Position
Introduction to John Henry’s Career
In his 22 years climbing the ranks of the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, Chief Deputy District Attorney John Henry always remained close to his academic roots. The veteran prosecutor has simultaneously served as a visiting associate clinical professor at his alma mater, LMU Loyola Law in Los Angeles, over the past 26 years, mentoring hundreds of future lawyers in how to conduct trials from start to finish. And now, Henry, 50, has decided to take an early retirement from the District Attorney’s Office to accept a full-time position as director of trial advocacy programs and associate clinical professor at Loyola Law.
Reasons for Departure
While Henry attributes his departure to personal family reasons that he chose not to disclose, he said the opportunity arose to take the job at Loyola, and he was eager to return to his roots and continue mentoring students. “The idea that I get to go back to the place where I started and shepherded (students) would be the only thing I would want do other than being at the DA’s Office,” said Henry, who has prosecuted some of the highest profile murder cases in Riverside County during his tenure.
Highly Decorated Coach
In a statement Friday, Aug. 15, LMU Loyola Law School called Henry a “highly decorated coach” of the law school’s Byrne Trial Advocacy Team since 1999. As such, he helped guide the team to victory at key national competitions, such as the William W. Daniel National Invitational Mock Trial Competition, Loyola’s National Civil Trial Competition, and St. Mary’s Lone Star Classic competition. After earning his juris doctor degree from Loyola in 1999, Henry went to work as a prosecutor at the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office in 2000, working there until 2003, when he left to begin his career as a deputy district attorney for the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.
Career Highlights
The entire time, Henry’s wife, Kamaria, was working alongside him. “She and I started and finished law school together, started and left the LADA together, and got hired in Riverside together,” Henry said. Over the decades, Henry proved himself to be an asset to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office and one of its most valued leaders as he ascended the ranks. Henry supervised the Banning office and the special prosecutions unit and now heads the appellate division. The Riverside resident said he has prosecuted about 10,000 cases over the past two decades. Office spokesperson Amy McKenzie said Henry was being considered for a promotion to assistant district attorney when he decided to retire and take the job at Loyola.
Major Prosecutions
Asked about some of the big cases he prosecuted, Henry noted the September 2006 brutal murder of 16-year-old Moreno Valley runaway Kayla Wood and the November 2006 murder of 4-year-old Javier Terrones Jr. in Wildomar. Wood’s body was found in the bathtub of a burning duplex in Moreno Valley. Prosecutors said she had been stabbed, sexually assaulted, beaten with beer bottles and had her hair set on fire. Her killers — Roman Aldana, then 18, and his two cousins, Jose Solorza and Anthony Bobadilla, both 15 at the time — were all convicted. Aldana was sentenced to death in 2010. Henry said it was his only death penalty case, and the only time his father, then a robbery-homicide detective for the Santa Monica Police Department, got to see him in action in the courtroom trying a case.
Looking Forward to the Next Chapter
Now, Henry said he is looking forward to this new chapter in his life, and extended gratitude to all those who helped him get to where he is and made sure he “knew what he was doing.” “At this point in my career,” he said, “it’s nice to do something that doesn’t involve seeing people either in their worst moment or suffering their worst moment. This is all positive.”
Conclusion
John Henry’s departure from the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office marks the end of an era, but also the beginning of a new chapter in his life. As he takes on his new role at Loyola Law School, he will continue to mentor and inspire future lawyers, leaving behind a legacy of dedication and excellence in the pursuit of justice.
FAQs
Q: What is John Henry’s new position?
A: John Henry is taking on a full-time position as director of trial advocacy programs and associate clinical professor at Loyola Law School.
Q: Why is John Henry leaving the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office?
A: John Henry is leaving the office due to personal family reasons and to take on his new role at Loyola Law School.
Q: What are some of John Henry’s notable cases?
A: John Henry has prosecuted several high-profile cases, including the murder of 16-year-old Kayla Wood and the murder of 4-year-old Javier Terrones Jr.
Q: How long has John Henry been with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office?
A: John Henry has been with the office for 22 years, climbing the ranks from deputy district attorney to chief deputy district attorney.
