The Yuba County District Attorney has dropped attempted murder charges against Kaden M. Henson, a 20-year-old Marysville resident, after an investigation revealed the alleged victim, who was also a key witness, had provided misleading information to law enforcement. The case against Henson unraveled when investigators uncovered video evidence directly contradicting statements initially provided by the witness, according to a statement from the DA.
District Attorney Clint Curry acknowledged that the video evidence revealed the victim had been “less than truthful.” Curry emphasized the ethical obligation of the office, stating, “We have an ethical obligation to follow where the evidence leads and to seek justice in every case.”
The victim initially told law enforcement that she had been randomly robbed by Henson, claiming she was by herself and merely asking for her wallet back when Henson allegedly shot at her. However, a follow-up investigation conducted by law enforcement and the defense team uncovered a significantly different sequence of events. It is now believed that the incident began with a dispute over a drug sale. This dispute led to the victim and a group of her associates going to Henson’s house and threatening him, after which Henson claimed he fired at the vehicle in self-defense.
Despite the new information, Curry maintains that the threat to Henson was not “sufficiently imminent to legally justify self-defense.” Nevertheless, given the victim’s proven lack of credibility and the complexities of the defendant’s imperfect claim of self-defense, the District Attorney determined that a plea bargain was appropriate under the circumstances. As a result, Henson will receive a grant of probation under the terms of a plea agreement.
The incident that led to the charges began on the evening of June 26, when Marysville Police received a report of a shooting in a residential area near Marysville School District property. Officers were dispatched to the vicinity of 22nd Street and Buchanan Street regarding reports of shots fired, the police reported.
According to court documents, the witness had gone to Henson's residence to confront him, at which point Henson reportedly shot at them with a firearm before fleeing the area in a gray Dodge Charger. Hours later, Henson was captured by Gridley Police officers near Sage and Haskell streets and subsequently booked into the Yuba County Jail.
On Wednesday, the 20-year-old Henson also pleaded no contest to separate misdemeanor DUI charges that were filed in August. The terms of his probation are strict: should Henson violate any of them, he could be sentenced to serve up to seven years in state prison, the DA noted.
Curry expressed gratitude for the investigative efforts, stating, “I’m thankful to the investigators who continued working this case when the initial story didn’t add up.” Henson’s sentencing is officially set for November 9.
