Judge Denies Reagan Shooter
A court has dashed any hopes that presidential assailant John Hinckley Jr. may have had of leaving a psychiatric hospital without supervision.
Just Wednesday, St. Elizabeths Hospital withdrew its recommendation that the man who shot and wounded Ronald Reagan in 1981 be allowed to leave the hospital for unsupervised visits with his parents.
A federal judge dismissed the case Thursday after prosecutors said Hinckley had been showing an interest in books and music with violent themes.
The books were allegedly brought to him by his fiancé, who he met at the hospital that has served as his detention facility for 18 years.
But outside court Thursday, Hinckley's lawyer, Barry Levine, insisted "books are books" and "not weapons." And he says the hospital never asked what books Hinckley reads and is now embarrassed about that.
Wilma Lewis, U.S. Attorney for Washington, released a statement after the ruling that said her first concern has always been whether Hinckley would "endanger himself or others" if allowed to make unsupervised visits to his parents. Lewis says that concern has now been addressed.
Without the hospital's support, Hinckley's attorneys would have a difficult time convincing the court that he is ready to leave the psychiatric facility without an escort. He had hoped to be able to have one eight-hour visit a week.
During the past year, he has been able to go on supervised trips with other patients to stores and restaurants. Before that, he had only left St. Elizabeths once on an escorted visit with his parents.
Hinckley's attorney maintained that these open visits were a necessary step in Hinckley's recovery, and that his illness has been in remission.
Hinckley, 45, shot Reagan and three other people in March 1981. He said he did it to impress actress Jodie Foster. He was found innocent by reason of insanity
Initially hospital officials said Hinckley's mental illness was in remission, and they would recommend he be allowed to leave the grounds for unsupervised day visits with his family.
Hinckley has tried several times to get court permission to take day-long visits without having anybody supervising him. A judge turned him down most recently in 1997, but at that time Hinckley did not have the support of hospital staff.
Under that type of release Hinckley would be allowed to visit his parents between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on one weekend day per month with a 50-mile radius of the hospital.
The U.S. attorney's office has adamantly opposed against these visits and asked a judge to block the visits. Members of Reagan's family have protested letting Hinckley out on his own, saying there is no evidence that Hinckley is not a threat anymore.
In an April issue of Time magazine, Reagan's daughter Patti Davis wrote of her fears that Hinckley may still be dangerous.
"I believe that Hinckley knew full well what evil is: I believ he was drawn to it, excited by it and I believe that he may still be," she wrote.
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