Scroll through the slides to see the fate of those involved in presidential assassination attempts. At the top of the list is the attempted assassination of a USA president, which is why freeing John Hinckley is not only a travesty but a unsafe signal to would-be assassins, especially Islamic terrorists.
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MONTAGNE: And that was CBS anchor Dan Rather 35 years ago.
A judge ruled Wednesday that Hinckley can live full-time with his mother at her home in Williamsburg, Virginia. NPR justice correspondent Carrie Johnson has been following this case for years.
I think that, among young people in particular today, we are missing a fundamental faith.
Hinckley, who is now 61, was 25 years old when he shot Reagan and three others outside the Washington Hilton in March 1981. He got off six shots. First lady Nancy Reagan passed away in March; Brady and his wife, Sarah, as well as Jerry Parr, the Secret Service agent credited with saving Reagan’s life, have all died in the past two years.
Hinckley, who said he staged the attack to impress actress Jodie Foster, was found not guilty by reason of insanity and ordered to live at St. Elizabeth’s for treatment.
The court order requires that Hinckley “shall have no contact whatsoever” with specific individuals, including actress Jodie Foster.
Some of his mother’s neighbors have always been wary of Hinckley.
For more than a year Hinckley had been allowed to spend 17 days a month at her house, but will live there “full-time” from August 5th at the earliest.
Hinckley’s psychosis and depression “are in full and sustained remission and have been for more than 20 years” and he is “clinically ready” to leave the psychiatric facility, the ruling said. His attorney has argued to release Hinckley from confinement for more than a decade, citing evaluations by officials at St. Elizabeth’s to prove he is no longer a threat. The legal standard here though is someone who poses no danger to the community is entitled live under the least restrictive conditions possible.
Hinckley must remain within 50 miles of his mother’s home, and can not travel to any area where a current or former president, vice president or member of Congress is known to be.
Hinckley’s brother and sister told the court they know their mom is getting old and they promised the judge they’d step in to help if needed. This decision is still a hard one, though.
But Justice Department prosecutors have been leery.
The Brady Campaign did not take a position Wednesday on Hinckley’s release, but took the opportunity to comment on gun-control laws.
If he adheres to strict guidelines regarding his activities, Hinckley could be fully removed from court control in as soon as a year.
So they want to be able to monitor his location or his whereabouts via Global Positioning System.
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He can not post any writings or memorabilia on the internet or display them in person without authorization.
