Psychiatric prisoner John Hinckley jr has been in the news recently, because of an alleged attempt to kill President Reagan. He has also been in the news for his career and family. These articles will give you the lowdown on this controversial figure, and help you understand him better.
Family
Despite being the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan, John Hinckley Jr. has a number of other accomplishments. He was the youngest of three children born to a wealthy oil family. He attended Texas Tech University and later moved to Hollywood. He was an avid fan of the movie Taxi Driver, but he didn’t make it a career.
He claimed to have an obsession with the actress Jodie Foster, and in a fit of pique, attempted to kill President Reagan. He shot six rounds at the president, but was unsuccessful. He later apologised to the families of the victims and received a public letter of apology from President Reagan.
He also claimed that he was encouraged by his college professor, John Collins, to write a novel. But he was never able to finish the book.
Career
During the summer of 1976, John Hinckley was living in an apartment in Hollywood, California. He was obsessed with the movie Taxi Driver. He became enamored with actress Jodie Foster. He tried to contact Foster, but Foster rejected his attempts to make a connection.
In 1981, Hinckley attempted to shoot President Ronald Reagan in Washington D.C. and wound three other people. He later turned his attention to the next president who was elected.
When he was young, Hinckley was a good student. He graduated from Dallas’ Highland Park High School. He also excelled in football. He was quarterback for his school’s elementary school team. He attended Texas Tech University, but dropped out in 1980.
During his college years, Hinckley became obsessed with the movie Taxi Driver. He started writing songs and attempting to become a songwriter. He later moved to Virginia with his mother, who died in 2021.
Assassination attempt
During the spring of 1981, John Hinckley Jr. tried to kill President Ronald Reagan outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. He also shot and injured White House press secretary James Brady. Brady later became a gun control advocate.
During his trial, Hinckley pleaded insanity. His attorneys argued that he was suffering from narcissistic personality disorder and that he had watched the movie “Taxi Driver” over a dozen times.
When Hinckley shot Reagan, he was suffering from an acute psychosis. He fired six shots in two seconds. His gun chambered six devastator bullets. A bullet penetrated a window.
Hinckley said his intent in attempting the assassination was to impress actress Jodie Foster. He later said he did not mean to kill Carter.
Hinckley was confined to a mental hospital for the next 30 years. After a few attempts on his life in the early 1980s, Hinckley was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial.
Psychiatric prisoner
Psychiatric prisoner John Hinckley Jr. was found not guilty of attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan in 1981. After years in a psychiatric hospital, he was freed.
After his release from a psychiatric facility, Hinckley spent seventeen days a month in Williamsburg, Virginia. He was allowed to visit his parents and speak to them, but not to Foster or other victims of the shooting. He was also required to have therapists oversee his therapy.
After his release, Hinckley began to focus on music. He began uploading videos to his YouTube channel. He released his first original song on 12 December 2020. He plans to release a second single in November 2021. He has also been working on an album.
Hinckley has been living in Williamsburg for a year. He recently sold out a concert in Brooklyn. He plans to continue living in Williamsburg, but it’s not clear how long. He has also been allowed to participate in a church volunteer program. He has also been allowed to drive while being tracked by GPS.
Attempt on Reagan’s life
Attempts on the life of President Ronald Reagan have a history of being a conservative revolution. In 1981, a deranged drifter named John Hinckley Jr. fired six shots at the president in a bid to impress Jodie Foster. A bullet struck Reagan in the left lung, but the President was unaware of the attack.
In a trial that became the subject of public ridicule, Hinckley pleaded insanity. His lawyer argued that Hinckley’s mental illness had been in remission, and that he was no longer a danger to himself or others. The court found him not guilty by reason of insanity, but the verdict raised a tidal wave of criticism.
The attack, which was the first assassination attempt on a president since Teddy Roosevelt’s death in 1945, changed the course of Reagan’s life. The president was hospitalized for 12 days, and he later returned to the White House.