John Hinckley Jr., the man who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan back in 1981, is on his way to becoming a completely free man.
He was released from a mental health facility back in 2016, but has had court supervision. Now that may be lifted.
Ronn Blitzer reports at FOX News:
Judge grants unconditional release for John Hinckley Jr.A federal judge ruled Monday that John Hinckley Jr. can be unrestrictedly released next year, more than 40 years after he shot then-President Reagan in 1981.Hinckley was committed to St. Elizabeth’s hospital for more than 34 years before he was released under certain restrictions in 2016.”If he hadn’t tried to kill a president he would have been released unconditionally a long time ago,” U.S. District Court Judge Paul Friedman said.It was Friedman who had allowed Hinckley out five years ago, determining that Hinckley’s mental condition was “in full and sustained remission” and had been for more than 27 years. He had been diagnosed with a psychotic disorder and major depression.
Just a few months ago, it was reported that Sirhan Sirhan, the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy, was set to be released from jail, now this.
Does anyone else think this is an extraordinarily bad idea?
The Ronald Reagan Foundation is opposed to it. The Los Angeles Daily News reported:
Ronald Reagan Foundation opposes decision to free John Hinckley from oversightOfficials at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in Simi Valley are opposed to a federal judge’s decision to free John Hinckley Jr. — the man who tried to assassinate former President Reagan in 1981 — from all remaining restrictions.“The Reagan Foundation and Institute is saddened to hear of the decision to unconditionally release John Hinckley Jr., the man responsible for the attempted assassination of President Reagan, a shooting that gravely wounded three other brave men,” the foundation said Monday in a statement.“Contrary to the judge’s decision, we believe John Hinckley is still a threat to others and we strongly oppose his release. Our hope is that the Justice Department will file a motion with the court leading to a reversal of this decision.”
Conservative pundit Tammy Bruce is also against the idea.
Bruce writes at the Washington Times:
Hinckley’s release is an abominationWe’ve seen this coming for years, and it finally has arrived. The attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan, John Hinckley, Jr., will be released from all court supervision in June 2022 if he continues to follow the existing rules until that time.The Associated Press reports, “Since Hinckley moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, from a Washington hospital in 2016, court-imposed restrictions have required doctors and therapists to oversee his psychiatric medication and therapy. Hinckley has been barred from having a gun. And he can’t contact Reagan’s children, other victims or their families, or actress Jodie Foster, who he was obsessed with at the time of the 1981 shooting.”He moved to Williamsburg to live with his mother, who died in July of this year. He has since left the home he shared with her. The government is not communicating with the public where Mr. Reagan’s attempted assassin lives now. This release from oversight means none of the parameters controlling his life and behavior will remain.We are also assured that Mr. Hinckley has shown no signs of mental illness in 20 years. Considering the medication and parameters to which he’s been subjected, that’s like crowing a child molester hasn’t repeated his crime while in prison.
I understand that Hinckley has real mental health problems, but it makes no difference to me.
He tried to assassinate a sitting president. He should spend his life locked up.
Featured image via YouTube.
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