Attempted Ronald Reagan Assassin John Hinckley Gets Unconditional Release

John Hinckley, who attempted to assassinate former President Ronald Reagan in the 1980s, will get an unconditional release, a judge ruled Wednesday.

The 67-year-old will be released on June 15, said U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman in the Wednesday order. Previously, the judge said Hinckley would be released as long as he remained on good behavior.

“John Hinckley tried to kill the president of the United States. He came very close to doing so. We came to learn President Reagan was very close to death. James Brady was damaged for life,” he said Wednesday. Brady, a former White House press secretary, was paralyzed in the attack.

The judge added: “In 1981, over 40 years ago, John Hinckley was a profoundly troubled young man. He had acute psychosis. … He began to stalk the president. The president [at the time] was Jimmy Carter. He never got close to Jimmy Carter. But he did get close to Ronald Reagan.”

Friedman said Hinckley has been in “sustained remission” for over 25 years and has “followed every condition imposed by the court,” adding that he has “demonstrated self-awareness and responsibility for his mental illness.”

“We are not losing sight of what he did 40 years ago,” the judge continued. “He’s been scrutinized, he’s passed every test. I am confident Mr. Hinckley will do well in the years remaining to him. I hope the public will understand, he has made such progress, and he’s not a danger anymore.”

https://www.ntd.com/attempted-ronald-reagan-assassin-john-hinckley-gets-unconditional-release_787821.html