Judge Grants Hinckley Unsupervised Trips

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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp.../john_hinckley
Judge Grants Hinckley Unsupervised Trips

22 minutes ago

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By JONATHAN D. SALANT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - A federal judge said Wednesday that the man who shot President Reagan could make unsupervised visits with his parents away from the mental hospital where he has lived for more than two decades.


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Reuters
Slideshow: John Hinckley Jr.



A Justice Department (news - web sites) official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman issued the order granting John Hinckley Jr.'s request

Hinckley, 48, has lived at St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington since he was acquitted in 1982 by reason of insanity in the shootings of Reagan, presidential press secretary James Brady and two law enforcement officers. Reagan was nearly killed and Brady was permanently disabled. Hinckley said he shot Reagan to impress actress Jodie Foster.

During five days of hearings, psychiatrists testifying for Hinckley, the government and the hospital said his mental health had improved to the point where he would not be a threat to himself or others if he were to leave the hospital for visits with his parents.

But government lawyers opposed the request, insisting that the would-be assassin was still dangerous and trying to deceive his doctors.

Hospital officials have said there have been no problems with Hinckley on his supervised trips to such places as a bowling alley, the theater and a shopping mall. The Secret Service (news - web sites) watches Hinckley whenever he leaves the hospital grounds.

The psychiatrists said allowing Hinckley to leave unsupervised was the next step in his recovery from his mental illness.

Reagan's family and Brady's wife, Sarah Brady, have opposed Hinckley's request. Sarah Brady sent a letter to the judge. Reagan's children, Patti Davis and Ron Reagan Jr., made their opposition known in the media.

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On the Net (news - web sites):

U.S. District Court: http://www.dcd.uscourts.gov

[WCUgirl]

...sigh.

[bethany1982]

There are times when things seem to be upside down. This is one of them.

[DeltAlum]

I'm not in favor of this guy being out in the general population, but I heard all of the stuff he has to go through and all of the notifications that have to be made, and this hardly seems like "unsupervised."

Maybe less supervised.

You can be sure the Secret Service is going to be all over this guy. "Stink on Scatology" comes to mind.

[Optimist Prime]

I think he should be allowed out. To keep some one locked up like that is wrong. I don't even think he knows the ramifications of his actions. I think we should show him compassion. I think the Secret Service should watch him like a hawk. But still, if he wants to walk around some where let him. That is what makes us a good country. We're better than others. We just don't treat people like that.

[Tom Earp]

First off, if you have never delt with people who commit crimes such as this then you do not have a clue!

Hinkley did not just commit a felony, He tried to shoot "THE PRESIDENT", Brady is left paralyzed, and a DC Officer was shot!

OMG, he was nuts, but He is getting Btter and this is a step in the right direction.

I hope he is found sane, because the warrent is still out and he will then be re-retried for AssaultBattery with a deadly weapon, maybe attempted Homocide.

[honeychile]

Are we forgetting that he also wounded a Secret Service agent? Do you think the Agents assigned to him will be happy with him? And let's not forget how much those unsupervised visits will cost the taxpayers in Secret Service wages, too!

The way I see it, if he's sane enough to be allowed unsupervised visits, then he should be transferred to the general prison population. The insanity plea should not be an "out" for a middle-class white looney!