US Judge Grants Unconditional Release of Man Who Tried to Kill President Reagan

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - A US federal judge on Monday agreed that John Hinckley, the man who tried to assassinate former President Ronald Reagan in 1981, can be released from all court-imposed restrictions in June, a court filing revealed.

Hinckley was found not guilty because of insanity and was sent to a psychiatric hospital in Washington, DC. In 2016, he was allowed to leave the hospital to live at his mother's home in the state of Virginia under court-imposed restrictions.

"Minute Entry for proceedings held before Judge Paul L. Friedman: Evidentiary hearing/Status Conference as to JOHN W. HINCKLEY, JR held on 9/27/2021," the court filing said. "The parties address the status of this action, and the court GRANTS the joint request of the parties to place Mr. Hinkley on unconditional release until June 2022. Order will be issued by the court."

Judge Friedman said in a court hearing that Hinckley must continue to obey the court-imposed rules and remain mentally stable until June, according to media reports.

The court-imposed restrictions placed on Hinckley include doctor and therapist monitoring of his medication and therapy sessions. Hinckley is not allowed to have a gun and cannot contact any of Reagan's family or the families of other victims injured in the assassination attempt.

Hinckley attempted to kill Reagan on 30 March 1981. He shot former White House Press Secretary James Brady in the head, police officer Thomas Delahanty in the back of his neck, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy in the abdomen and Reagan in the lung.

Hinckley said he wanted to impress his idol - actress Jodie Foster - by shooting Reagan. Later, he was diagnosed with acute psychosis, major depression and narcissistic personality disorder.