Inspired by the film’s main character, who plots to kill a presidential candidate, Hinckley opened fire on Reagan outside a Washington, D.C., hotel on March 30, 1981, in a misguided effort to win Foster’s affections.
Advertisement
Reagan’s family have said they are strongly opposed to Hinckley’s release – and previous year, his daughter Patti wrote: “I hope the doctors are right when they say that John Hinckley isn’t a danger to anyone, but something in me feels they are wrong”.
A federal court ruled in July that Hinckley posed no danger to himself or to society.
❯❯ Click the Icon below to share this post.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity following an eight-week trial in 1982.
The man who tried to assassinate President Reagan is headed home – seemingly for good.
John Hinckley (L) arrives at Federal Court in Washington, D.C., guarded by U.S. Marshalls, Sept. 2, 2003. A Secret Service Agent and a Washington DC police officer were also hit but sustained only minor injuries.
Hinckley will still have to abide by a number of restrictions and a work requirement. “Contrary to the judge’s decision, we believe John Hinckley is still a threat to others and we strongly oppose his release”.
Reagan suffered a punctured lung but recovered quickly.
He will continue to go to therapy while in Williamsburg, seeing a psychiatrist twice a month for at least the first six months and attending weekly group therapy sessions.
He had shot the president in an apparent bid to impress the actress Jodie Foster, with whom he had an obsession and whom he had subjected to what would now be termed stalking.
He is being released into the care of family and will live with his mother in Virginia.
He is also barred from speaking to the media.
Advertisement
“For many years now he’s had visitation privileges to Hampton Roads and the hospital, along with the courts, have been developing a plan to gradually give him more freedoms to acclimate to life on the outside”, Flores told News 3.
