Story. John Hinckley, who attempted to assassinate Reagan in 1981, has been released from his psychiatric hospital after 35 years. He’ll be allowed to live in Virginia.
Well, Flightplan was awfully weak…
I have no problem with this. He’s still going to be under multiple restrictions (some of which will drop off as time goes by) and he’s subject to return to St. Elizabeth’s if things go really squirrelly. Given everything I’ve read about him, I see no reason to believe that he is a danger to anyone.
Wasn’t he out and about for a while before this? I think the guy’s a problem, but he was not convicted for trying to kill Reagan, and apparently this is what the law requires under the circumstances. I’m sure in similar circumstances where the victim was not a president he could have been out sooner. However, over a long period of time he kept attempting, and possibly succeeded in obtaining material about Jodie Foster, he could easily violate the terms of this release.
He will need careful monitoring. I worry about what happens after his mom dies. He’ll be alone.
There’s always a chance he could slip back into severe depression and the other issues he originally had.
I hope that could be detected by his out patient therapist? I’d hope that he will be required to continue out patient therapy.
I wonder if he’ll be under the watchful but un-obvious eyes of the Secret Service or the FBI? Were any of the Reagan family consulted? What about Jodie Foster?
Don’t tell him Jodie’s a lesbian. Just in case.
‘But, I’m feeling much better now,’ Hinkley said.
bolding mine
What about the families of the other people the fucko shot? Were they consulted?
Hinckley should not be able to walk around free until James Brady can. His death was the result of Hinckley’s attack, even though it took a long time.
If he would have been sentenced to life in prison without parole (but was not due to the insanity defense), then he should be transferred to a prison for the rest of his life if he is no longer insane. An insanity defense should not be a “get out of jail free” card.
If he would have been sentenced to a finite prison term with the possibility of parole for good behavior, then his being released into the community would be reasonable at this point.
To update an old joke: Trump will probably tell him that she is a lesbian and that she is sleeping with Hillary.
I’m guessing one major reason is that none of his victims actually died. (Even counting Brady’s injuries, at the time, he was still alive). I don’t believe they typically go for life without parole for attempted murder. And he didn’t just “get out of jail free”. He’s been in a criminal mental facility for almost forty years. The insanity defense doesn’t mean you get to waltz back to your old life like nothing happened.
According to a NYT article at the time:
“Conviction of the offense described in the first count of the indictment, an attempt to kill the President, carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Four other counts, relating to assault with intent to kill while armed, also carry a maximum penalty of life in prison.”
Nothing about whether those sentences would have been able to include a “no possibility of parole” clause though. But 5 life sentences would probably have made parole more problematic.
I dont see any reason for the taxpayers to pay for his incarceration.
The whole idea behind the inanity defense is that you weren’t responsible for the actions you took. If he wasn’t responsible for what he did, why should he be punished for it?
The medical examiner disagreed.
I would just like to add, that you know, there are some very effective medicines, now available, for people with serious mental illnesses. Atypical antipsychotics, they’re called (more “typical” antipsychotics were developed in the 1950’s, ushering in the “deinstitutionalization” movement).
If he is monitored, and has to continue taking his meds, as condition of his release, that might be enough. (If you will remember, he was under the delusion that he was romantically involved with Jodie Foster. These types of medications, should counteract the delusion part, at least.)
I actually do agree, though, he might be faking it. He has been hospitalized for over 30 years now. And he probably knows all the in’s and out’s of what his doctors expect him to do and say.