Attorney: Reagan shooter Hinckley not dangerous, should get more time outside mental hospital The USA Times

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Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Attorney: Reagan shooter Hinckley not dangerous, should get more time outside mental hospital

WASHINGTON - A defence attorney says the man who tried to assassinate Ronald Reagan has shown he is not dangerous and should be allowed to spend more time outside a Washington mental hospital.

In a closing argument Thursday, an attorney said John Hinckley is not a risk. Hinckley has been allowed to spend 10 days at his mother's home two hours south of the U.S. capital. He now wants to get visits of 17 and 24 days and ultimately be away from the hospital full time.

Hinckley was found by a jury to be insane when he shot and wounded Reagan outside a Washington hotel in 1981.

Doctors say his mental illness has been in remission for years, however, and a judge has granted Hinckley increasing freedom from the hospital.