Hinckley nears full freedom 41 years after shooting Reagan.
WASHINGTON — A federal judge is set to preside over an important hearing for John Hinckley, the man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 and is on the verge of being released from all remaining restrictive conditions.that he would free Hinckley from restrictions on June 15 as long as Hinckley continued to do well. Officials say Hinckley has, and Wednesday’s hearing, which Hinckley will not attend, is not expected to alter those plans.
In July, Hinckley — who plays guitar and sings and has shared his music on a YouTube channel — plans to give a concert in Brooklyn, New York. Appearances in Connecticut and Chicago for what he has called the “John Hinckley Redemption Tour” have been cancelled. In a status report filed ahead of Wednesday’s hearing, prosecutors wrote that health officials who have overseen Hinckley’s treatment for years believe he “has recovered his sanity such that he does not present a danger to himself or others because of mental illness if unconditionally released” as planned.
, was partially paralyzed as a result. Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy and Washington police officer Thomas Delahanty were also wounded. Reagan died in 2004.