WASHINGTON (AP) – A federal judge is set to preside over a major hearing for John Hinckley, the man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and is about to be released from all remaining restrictive conditions.
U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman said in September that he would release Hinckley from the restrictions on June 15 as long as Hinckley continued to do well. Officials say Hinckley does, and Wednesday’s hearing, which Hinckley will not attend, is not expected to alter those plans.
Hinckley was confined to a Washington psychiatric hospital for more than two decades after a jury found him not guilty of insanity for shooting Reagan. But from 2003, Friedman began to allow Hinckley to live longer periods in the community with requirements such as attending therapy and restrictions on where he could travel. She has been living full-time in Virginia since 2016, although she is still under restrictions.
These include: allowing officials access to their electronic devices, email, and online accounts; he is barred from traveling to places where he knows someone will be protected by the Secret Service and warns with three days notice if he wants to travel more than 75 miles (120 kilometers) from his home in Virginia.
In July, Hinckley, who plays guitar and sings and has shared his music on a YouTube channel, plans to give a concert in Brooklyn, New York. Appearances in Connecticut and Chicago have been canceled for what he called the “John Hinckley Redemption Tour.”
The judge said Hinckley, who turned 67 on Sunday, had shown no symptoms of active mental illness, violent behavior and no interest in guns since 1983.
In a state report before Wednesday’s hearing, prosecutors wrote that health officials who have been monitoring Hinckley’s treatment for years believe that “he has regained his sanity in a way that poses no danger to him. or others due to mental illness if released unconditionally. ” planned.
Prosecutors had previously opposed ending the restrictions, but changed their position last year, saying they would accept Hinckley’s release from the conditions if he continued to show mental stability and follow the restrictions. Prosecutor Kacie Weston wrote in a court hearing before the hearing that “the government has not found any evidence to suggest that Mr. Hinckley’s unconditional release should not be granted,” the judge said earlier.
Reagan recovered from the March 30, 1981 shooting, but his press secretary, James Brady, who died in 2014, was partially paralyzed as a result. Secret Service Officer Timothy McCarthy and Washington Police Officer Thomas Delahanty were also injured. Reagan died in 2004.
In the 2000’s, Hinckley, with the judge’s approval, began visiting his parents’ home in Williamsburg, Virginia. Her father died in 2008, but in 2016 she was given permission to live with her mother full time. However, he was forced to attend individual and group therapy sessions, was banned from speaking to the media, and could only travel within a limited area. The Secret Service would also follow him periodically.
Hinckley’s mother died in 2021. She has since moved out of her home. In recent years, Hinckley has made money selling items at an antique mall and selling books online.
Hinckley has told his YouTube channel that he has started a record label, Emporia Records, and that his first release will be a 14-song CD of his music. He also promotes his music on Twitter.